N

IO
IT
D
E
L
A
IT
DIG

BAZ LUHRMANN
DIRECTS CROCODILE
CREEK THE GREAT
FILMMAKERS
FORGOTTEN PROJECT
SON OF A GUN
WEST COAST CRIME,
LOCAL STYLE

OCTOBER 2014 9.34 $8.95 NZ:$9.95 WWW.FILMINK.COM.AU

COLLISION COURSE
WHEN HOLLYWOOD
MAKES THE SAME
MOVIE TWICE

DRACULA UNTOLD
THE MAZE RUNNER
THE LITTLE DEATH
JOHN DOE: VIGILANTE
FAT PIZZA VS. HOUSOS
ROBERT DUVALL
ISAAC HEMPSTEAD WRIGHT
BEN KINGSLEY

LUKAS MOODYSSON GOES PUNK WITH WE ARE THE BEST!

SOUNDTRACK ON

BACK LOT MUSIC

Tasmanias North

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The Tasmanian Breath of Fresh Air (BOFA) Film Festival is intimate, thoughtprovoking and fun. BOFA is small enough to be friendly - not a black T-shirt or snooty
attitude in sight - and big enough to be international in perspective.
We find fresh, innovative stories to inspire you to see the world differently truly a
breath of fresh air. We show shorts at each screening and lead you in a conversation
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Just a short flight away into Launceston and with the beauties and wonders of Tasmania
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Thursday 6 - Sunday 9 November 2014 www.bofa.com.au

For more information about Tasmanian Breath of Fresh Air Film Festival and great accommodation
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Tasmanian Breath of Fresh Air (BOFA)

Film Festival 6-9 November 2014
Winters Sleep
Cannes Film Festival Palme dOr winner
features Aydin, a former actor, who runs a
small hotel in central Anatolia with his stormy
young wife Nihal and his moody sister Necla.
As the winter snow begins to fall, the hotel
turns into an inescapable place that fuels their
animosities. Near-perfect film making.

Virunga
The Congos Virunga National Park is home to
the worlds last population of wild mountain
gorillas. This rousing, must-see work, filmed
amid flying bullets and racist conspirators
has enough action, pathos, suspense, venal
villains, stalwart heroes and endangered
gorillas for a dozen fiction films.

Of Horses and Men

A bizarre, hilarious and wondrous featurefilm debut, Of Horses and Men, is a singular
ode to the relationship between people
and horses in Iceland. A multi award winner,
Of Horses and Men has been charming
audiences all over the world.

Next Goal Wins

In World Cup 2001, American Samoa
suffered a world record 31-0 defeat and
have scored only twice in 17 years. This
inspirational story about the power of
hope follows imported Dutch coach
Thomas Rongen as he turns the teams
fortunes around.

48

KATE MULVANY

This talented young actress and accomplished playwright

forms a highly impressive part of the sparkling ensemble for
Josh Lawsons sexy comedy, The Little Death.

52 FURY

Writer/director, David Ayer (End Of Watch),

brings together a strong cast Brad Pitt,
Logan Lerman, Jon Bernthal, and Michael
Pena for his hard-rolling WW2 epic.

58 SON OF A GUN

Debut feature director, Julius Avery, executive

producer, Michael Spiccia, and Aussie actor
on the rise, Brenton Thwaites, wade through
a tangle of twists and turns in this Perth-shot
crime thriller.

62 BAZ LUHRMANN

DIRECTS CROCODILE CREEK

Way before he became famous for The
Great Gatsby, Moulin Rouge!, and Australia,
the groundbreaking Australian director was
dispatched to Rockhampton, Queensland
to helm the community theatre project,
Crocodile Creek.

66 COLLISION COURSE

In this special feature, FilmInk looks at

Hollywoods unfortunate habit of making the
same movie twice, at the same time.

70 LUKAS MOODYSSON

Photo by Sally Flegg. Makeup by Alexandra Wharton at Makeup By Alexandra

The highly unconventional director of Show

Me Love, Together, and Lilya 4-Ever tells a
tale of youthful optimism and punk spirit with
the comedy drama, We Are The Best!

CONTENTS
VOL. 9.34 OCTOBER 2014

Dracula Untold
British actor, Luke Evans (Fast & Furious
6), sharpens his fangs to star as popular
cultures most famous vampire in this
ambitious origin tale.
14 Previews
First look, sneak peek stories on the action
thriller, John Wick; the riotous comedy,
Lets Be Cops; and the buzzed-about true
life drama, Foxcatcher.
22 Boyd Holbrook
This exciting young American actor has
a big month in Australian cinemas, with
roles in A Walk Among The Tombstones,
Gone Girl, and The Skeleton Twins.
26 Isaac Hempstead Wright
The young star of Game Of Thrones takes
a break from all the blood and guts to lend
his voice to the lead character in the stop
motion animated family flick, The Boxtrolls.
28 Robert Duvall
The veteran actor talks about facing his
fears and working with Robert Downey Jr.
on the new legal drama, The Judge.
32 The Maze Runner
Adapted from James Dashners
popular Young Adult novel, this sci-fi
thriller pits child against child in a deadly
battle for survival.
36 Kelly Dolen/John Doe: Vigilante
The outspoken Australian director crafts
a bold talking point with his gutsy thriller
starring UK import, Jamie Bamber
about a man who kills with a disturbingly
clear conscience.
98 Sir Ben Kingsley
The legendary British actor takes it
lying down while doing his voice work
for the stop motion animated family flick,
The Boxtrolls.

42

JOSH LAWSON

The busy Aussie actor (Anchorman 2, The Campaign, House

Of Lies, Any Questions For Ben?) turns writer and director
with the salaciously funny sex comedy, The Little Death.

LOCAL FOCUS

44 Preview
Writer/director/star, Paul Fenech, brings
his two greatest TV triumphs together on
the big screen with the gut-busting mashup, Fat Pizza Vs. Housos.
45 The Polygon
This powerful documentary looks at a
Kazakh village that lies just 18km from
a former Soviet nuclear test site, The
Polygon, which was responsible for over
600 nuclear explosions that left the land,
water, and local people irradiated forever.
46 Josh McConville
This young actor-on-the-rise provides the
heart and soul for the wonderfully inventive
time travel romance, The Infinite Man.
50 Focus On Tasmania
It might get stung by the tyranny of
distance, but Tasmania has a vibrant and
busy filmmaking community.

74 FILM REVIEWS

Sin City: A Dame To Kill For, The Little

Death, Son Of A Gun, John Doe: Vigilante,
We Are The Best!, The Skeleton Twins,
The Infinite Man, Before I Go To Sleep,
Siddharth, Rock The Casbah, Force
Majeure, Obvious Child, Jodorowskys
Dune, In Bloom, Advanced Style, The
Maze Runner & More

84 HOME

Farscape
Now hitting Blu-ray, this sci-fi series
about an Earth astronaut who finds
himself part of a fugitive alien starship
crew is one of the best that the genre
has to offer.
86 Lucio Fulci/Gates Of Hell
The seminal supernatural trilogy from one
of the most notorious directors in Italian
horror history makes its gruesome way
to Blu-ray.
88 DVD & Blu-ray Reviews
New releases, straight to DVD releases,
TV On DVD, and more.

CONTENTS
VOL. 9.34 OCTOBER 2014

Photo by Caroline McCredie/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures International

12 KEEPING IT REEL

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Publisher
Dov Kornits
dov@filmink.com.au
Editor
Erin Free
erin@filmink.com.au
Art Director/Designer
Katherine Power
Account Manager
Roger Smith
roger@filmink.com.au
Staff Writer/Website Manager
Cara Nash
cara@filmink.com.au

Illustrations
Katherine Power, Simon Coates
Distributed by
Network Services
International Correspondents
Pauline Adamek (Los Angeles),
Philip Berk (Los Angeles),
Gill Pringle (Los Angeles),
James Mottram (London),
Alicia Malone (Los Angeles),
Danny Peary (New York),
Tim Bain (London)
Contributors
Julian Wood, Reg Diplock,
Stephen Vagg, Byron Struck,
Jeannette Delamoir, Roger Smith, Tom Clift,
Mark Demetrius, John Noonan,
John Roebuck, Anthony OConnor,
Tom Derwin, Jack Sargeant,
Danielle Muir, Colin Fraser, James Fletcher,
Rhiannon Sawyer, Catherine Brown, Lex Hall,
Toli Papadopoulos, Sarah Ward, Simon Foster
Work Experience
Ella Esposito Doolan

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publishers nor will responsibility be accepted by the publishers for
the accuracy of any part of text or advertisement. Advertisers are
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ts not sugar-coated, writer/director,

David Ayer, told Yahoo of his new
movie, Fury. Theres no sepia patina
on thiswar is horrible and violent
no matter how righteous the cause.
The days of the rollicking WW2 action
adventure film do, indeed, appear to be
over. The likes of Where Eagles Dare,
The Devils Brigade, Von Ryans Express,
Kellys Heroes, The Great Escape, and
The Guns Of Navarone are rarely, if
ever, made in this day and age. The
concept of on-screen war either has its
central conflict made nebulous, as in
The Expendables franchise (where its
mercenary team fights fictional wars in
fictional countries), or writ devastatingly
large, as with Steven Spielbergs
Schindlers List and Saving Private Ryan.
Theres still room for wartime satire (as
seen in David O. Russells Three Kings)
and general weirdness (cue Quentin
Tarantinos wonderfully entertaining
exercise in WW2 wishful thinking,
Inglourious Basterds), but in a bold move,
Fury sits somewhere between the
classic guys on a mission trope and the
big, bold anti-war statement movie. Set
in the dying days of WW2, the film hones
in on Brad Pitts battle-weary Sergeant
Wardaddy, a hardened US Army veteran

in command of a Sherman tank and a

crew of four disparate but determined
young men who are charged with
rolling right into the battered heart of
Nazi Germany to strike a few final, fatal
blows for the Allies. They soon realise,
however, that they are outnumbered and
outgunned, even as The Third Reich is
starting to topple to its knees.
Despite being firmly set in WW2,
director, David Ayer best known for his
tense urban cop thriller, End Of Watch,
and himself a military veteran, having
served in the submarine corps of The US

EDITORS RECOMMENDATION
THE DIRTY DOZEN (1967)

Made at the tail end of the sixties, The Dirty Dozen was among the first war movies
to mix the feel of the growing counterculture in amongst its action set pieces.
Directed with characteristic terse grit by the great Robert Aldrich (Ulzanas Raid,
The Longest Yard), this bruising classic has one of the great war movie premises:
a hard bitten major (Lee Marvin in a role initially offered to John Wayne is at
his hard-bitten, taciturn best) puts together a crew of military prisoners (a mix
of rapists, thugs, criminals, oddballs and the unjustly imprisoned, played by the
disparate likes of Telly Savalas, John Cassavetes, Jim Brown, Charles Bronson,
Donald Sutherland, and Clint Walker) for a suicide mission against the Nazis in
WW2. Though there was lots of now famous tension on the set (mainly caused
by John Cassavetes unpredictability and Lee Marvins boozing), the resultant film
is tough (the group of misfits earn their moniker by killing a few relative innocents
along the way), imaginative, inventively violent, and often very funny. Its one of
the best guys on a mission movies ever made, and a true WW2 ball-tearer.

Navy is keen for Fury to not only offer a

different look at the war, but to resonate
in todays constantly battle-ripped world.
The movie takes place four weeks before
the war ends, Ayer said on the Fury set.
Youre fighting a fanatical enemy. I drew
a lot of parallels between the fanaticism
of Nazi Germany and the fanaticism of
Al-Qaeda.Theyre just as committed,
and you had the equivalent of suicide
bombers. They were hanging children.
They were grabbing kids thirteen-yearold kids and putting uniforms on them.
They were giving them weapons and
sending them after tanks. If they didnt do
it, theyd hang them. Theres something
about the fanaticism and the brutality of
fighting an enemy like that. For a lot of
WW2 veterans, its actually the most
disturbing and difficult part of the war for
them. Going into Germany and seeing
these things happen. No one has really
told that story.
Mixing thundering on-screen action
and a meditative approach to the horrors
of war, Fury is a truly modern take on the
battle movie.
FilmInkwhere movies (especially
war movies) matter.
Erin Free Editor n

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best value things around. Doesnt Nicholas realise that

two tix to the cinema these days is rarely under $30!
Sigh. Some people are never satisfied. Keep up the
great work I look forward to your mag every month.
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A WA LK A MONG T H E

TOMBSTONE S
A big bruiser of
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its some trip.
the new york times

I just had to write to you! I have had a FilmInk subscription

for a long time. Its full of wonderful information and
stories on films. What a first class magazine; its
Australias finest magazine, maybe even the worlds!
Thank you all for what you do. Keep up the good work.
Kind regards,
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ED: And thank you for the very kind words!

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Intelligent and gripping

time out
Get the whole story at
hachette.com.au

Ive been very thankful to the in-laws who gave

me a subscription to your mag for my birthday last
year. Each issue has had a number of entertaining,
informative pieces in it. However, Ive got to raise a
most glaring omission from your recent Double Act
piece [Double Act: Director/Actor Partnerships,
FilmInk 9.33, September]. Paul Thomas Anderson and
Philip Seymour Hoffman had a partnership that had
already hit astonishing heights, and had Hoffman not
tragically exited stage left far too early, one can only
imagine what may have come from their ongoing
collaborations. From an early cameo in Hard Eight,
through to the towering Lancaster Dodd in The Master,
PSH and PTA demonstrated a unique synchronicity,
a deft understanding of character, and a clear love of
storytelling that always left the audience wanting more.
How sad it is that well never have that opportunity
again.
Best,
Simon Maiden
ED: We couldnt agree more, Simon. Look
out for a follow up feature in an upcoming
issue on more director/actor partnerships
that will definitely feature Philip Seymour
Hoffman and Paul Thomas Andersonand
Adam Sandler and Dennis Dugan.
Well done for publishing that ridiculous letter
from Nicholas Sutherland [Letters, FilmInk
9.33, September], and for your diplomatic
response. What an absolute turkey! Love your
magazine, and $100 for ClubInk is one of the

I thought youd like to have

a photo of your youngest
reader, Lilian, whos just four
weeks old! This month, I
had the difficult decision as
to whether or not to renew
my ClubInk subscription.
Every other year, its been a
no brainer, but this month, I
was torn. Would my passes
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the reviews to movies I
wouldnt be able to see leave
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(very little) thought, I renewed! I figure that Ill use the
monthly passes as an excuse for a (much needed) date
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And Ill read the movie reviews for DVD rentals down
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Lilian and enjoy as much as she will! Everyone wins!
Keep up the great work!
Cheers,
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Thought youd like this
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other day :)
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NEWS. PREVIEWS. RUMOURS. INTERVIEWS.

INTO THE
DARKNESS

With the bold and bloody DRACULA UNTOLD, writers, MATT SAZAMA and BURK SHARPLESS, and stars, LUKE EVANS, SARAH GADON,
DOMINIC COOPER, and SAMANTHA BARKS, take an iconic character right back to the beginning. BY JAMES MOTTRAM

ou might think that Dracula has been done

excuse the pun to death. You could do a
thousand stories with him, notes Matt Sazama,
co-writer of the latest attempt to immortalise
Bram Stokers legendary literary creation. As its
name boldly suggests, Dracula Untold sets out to find a
new angle on this shadowy vampire.
Starring British actor, Luke Evans, Dracula Untold is an
origin story like no other, delving into the history behind
the character. Evans plays Vlad Tepes, the 15th century
Romanian leader better known as Vlad The Impaler. A
legend in local folklore for his exploits battling the Turks of
The Ottoman Empire, he also became the inspiration behind
the title character in Bram Stokers classic novel, Dracula.
Taking this into account, Evans differentiates Dracula Untold
from all thats gone before it. It isnt another Dracula film,
he says. The Dracula that we see in films is an established
older man. Its Bram Stokers version of Dracula. Well,
were going back 400 years before that. Were dealing with
the man, and the human behind the literary figure. Were
dealing with history as much as were dealing with fiction
and were merging the two.
Co-authored by Sazama with his writing partner, Burk
Sharpless, the script came to life nine years ago when
Christopher Nolans Batman Begins was in cinemas.
The film proved highly influential on both writers. We
saw that, says Sazama, and thought, Ah, people will

14
12 FILMIN
FILMINK
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understand that this is an origin story for someone that is

incredibly well known, and that perhaps this is a part of the
story that youll have never seen before.
An early pitch for the movie also embraced Francis Ford
Coppolas 1992 effort, Bram Stokers Dracula, starring Gary
Oldman as the blood-sucking count, which briefly touched
on the characters historical origins in the first few scenes.
As Sazama recalls, [Wed say] Remember that cool part
of the beginning of the Coppola movie? What if there was
an entire movie like that?
In the interim, vampires became sexy again, in films
like Twilight and TV shows like True Blood, but it didnt
deter either writer. We thought, if anything, that people
like vampires, says Sazama. Backed by Universal the
studio famed for its monster movies, right back to Tod
Brownings 1931 classic, Dracula the project still went
through numerous iterations before it was finally greenlit.
They were just waiting for the pieces to come together,
adds Sharpless. Those elements included an enthusiastic
first-time filmmaker in the shape of Irish-born commercials
director, Gary Shore, and a leading man capable of
shouldering the responsibility of playing such an iconic
figure. It was Garys first film, and it was my first title role
for a studio and a big deal for me, says Evans, best known
to audiences as the villain in Fast & Furious 6 and as Bard
The Bowman in last years The Hobbit sequel.
Indeed, Evans wasnt the only actor in virgin territory.

Sarah Gadon, the Canadian actress seen in David

Cronenbergs A Dangerous Method and Cosmopolis, has yet
to venture towards the Hollywood blockbuster until now.
Here she plays Princess Mirena, the films moral compass
and love interest to Vlad. She sets the stakes for Vlad, in
terms of representing family, home, the sanctity of marriage,
and the purity of the good life, says the actress. Gadon was
initially uncertain about joining a huge Hollywood project.
Im always more drawn to the director than I am to anything
else, she says. And that was certainly the case with this
project. I didnt really know if I wanted to do a Dracula film,
so I reluctantly took a meeting with Gary. And we sat down
in this restaurant in LA right besides Francis Ford Coppola!
Talk about fate tapping them on the shoulder. We were like,
I guess we have to make this film together now!
While Gadon followed the film with a brief appearance
in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 as the digital interface of
OsCorp Dracula Untold was her first attempt to perform
in stunt-driven scenes. One of her self-stipulations was
simply that she didnt want to play a damsel in distress.
That was number one on my list do I get swept up in the
action? I dont want to be on the sidelines picking roses!
Shot in Belfast, the surrounding Irish countryside proved
ideal for the shoot with scenes even filmed at the famous
landmark, Giants Causeway. But Evans, for one, had little
time to soak it all in. I was so knackered most of the
time, he says. After we finished on set, Id go to the gym,

LUKE EVANS
WERE DEALING WITH
THE MAN, AND THE HUMAN
BEHIND THE LITERARY
FIGURE. WERE DEALING
WITH HISTORY AS MUCH
AS WERE DEALING WITH
FICTION AND WERE
MERGING THE TWO.
go home, eat, and go to bed. I did that for four months.
Physically, it was just full on. Not only that, but he couldnt
even wind down with a drink at the end of the night. There
were a few naked scenes, so I had to keep in good shape,
the actor smiles. So no Guinness not until Id finished doing
all the fighting and all the naked stuff. Then I had a pint of
Guinness, which was about two or three months in. That, in
anyones book, is a long time to wait for a drink.
Evans wasnt the only one enduring hardships. Enter
Samantha Barks, the singing sensation who made her
feature debut as ponine in Tom Hoopers Oscar-winning
film musical, Les Misrables. Cast as the mythic Baba Yaga
in Dracula Untold, it meant a 3:00am call time before she
had to endure six to seven hours a day in the make-up
chair as prosthetics were carefully applied to turn her into
an aged witch. The prosthetics team were so incredible,
she enthuses. You feel like youre a completely different
person, a completely different character. But its done so
well that the prosthetics still move with your face. Even my
dimples stood out! Thats how well formed it is. And its
liberating to be behind this character. Youre so free to do
whatever you like, and the prosthetics are so well designed
that they dont hold you back.
After playing the wailing waif ponine, dressing up as a
mad witch was the perfect antidote. It was so cool being

evil! And being so twisted! Shes a completely wacky

character, Barks laughs. You do all your character work,
your research, and you come up with what you think you
might do on the day, but then with the prosthetics, and
seeing this amazing set that they built for her cottage you
cant help but add more layers onto the character.
Like Gadon, she also had to embrace the physical
aspects of the shoot not least using wires to simulate her
characters ability to fly. Its a strange thing youre just
hanging there, she says. Although youre going up a wall,
and something is taking your weight, you still have to make
it look real not like something is just randomly lifting you.
I wasnt in any pain, but I walked away from the whole day
and went, Look at these bruises! I went home, and my
mum was like, What happened to your arms?
Also on board is another British actor, Dominic Cooper,
playing Mehmed, the Turkish sultan who initially takes
Vlad under his wing only to later lock horns with him.
Historically, its really interesting, notes Cooper. They
talk about who Dracula was, and who the people around
him were, and the wars that were taking place at the time.
Its about where Dracula came from, and why he came to
be that man. Its a clever take on the whole myth.
While the script looks to blend fact and fiction when
it comes to the historical aspects, Sazama and Sharpless

IN CINEMAS

OCTOBER 16
2013 BEFORE I GO PRODUCTIONS, INC.

had heavyweight help. My dad is an historian, and he

had people in the UW [University Of Wisconsin] history
department that helped, says Sharpless, who gorged on
books recounting this bloody chapter in European history. But
hes quick to point out that audiences shouldnt get too hung
up on accuracy. Ultimately, its a fantasy movie, he says.
True, though Sarah Gadon believes that it has an
abundance of contemporary themes that audiences can
latch onto. Your husband going away and not returning
these are classic American war themes, the actress
offers. Luke and I tried to steep it in that kind of reality and
real emotion. So whilst there is a sexual element to the film
[like other vampire films], I dont think thats what its really
about. Its more about family values.
Already, thoughts are turning to a sequel, and creating a
fresh, blood-soaked franchise. If we get lucky enough, that
would be great! says Sazama, slightly unwilling to jinx his
long-cherished project. But why not? The Hammer Horror
films made a star of Christopher Lee as The Prince Of
Darkness. He has huge potential to go anywhere, admits
Evans. Hes immortal, after all.
Dracula Untold is released on October 2 and will
be reviewed at www.filmink.com.au. n

FOXCATCHER:
WRESTLING WITH DESTINY
Already garnering Oscar buzz, the true life drama, FOXCATCHER starring STEVE CARELL and CHANNING TATUM, and
directed by BENNETT MILLER is not your average sports movie. BY JAMES MOTTRAM

ilms reach directors in a multitude of ways. Take

Foxcatcher, the latest from Capotes Bennett Miller.
It came to me in the hands of a stranger in an
envelope, he says. Back in 2006, Miller was at a
video store to sign DVD copies of his documentary, The
Cruise. One of the people that showed up was a total
stranger who said, I have the rights to a story that youre
going to want to make. He then left the envelope on the
table. Once Miller read the story, he couldnt put it down.
Set in the mid-eighties, this true life tale of two Olympic
champion wrestlers and the eccentric millionaire who
bankrolls them was rich with themes of class, power,
status, arrogance, and entitlement. The whole thing felt
allegorical, says Miller. Its an actual story, but I cant
imagine a novelist fabricating the detailsnone of its
made up.
At its heart is an Oscar-worthy turn from Steve Carell
as John E. Du Pont a member of one of Americas
richest dynasties. His latest project is Mark Schultz
(Channing Tatum), a champion wrestler who took gold at
the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. Enticing him to come
and train at his 800-acre estate in Pennsylvania, Du Pont
wants Mark to head up a US national team destined for
the 1988 Olympics in Seoul. Ultimately, they felt, initially,

14 FILMINK WWW.FILMINK.COM.AU

that they spoke the same language; that they were both
patriots, and that they were both wrestling supporters
and aficionados, explains Carell who, even with the
addition of a prosthetic nose, gives one of his most muted
screen performances. That sense of pride and country
was ingrained into both of them, but from completely
different realms. Du Pont really had the need to be a
mentor.
The relationship between Du Pont and Schultz
becomes even more twisted with the appearance of
Marks older brother, Dave Schultz (Mark Ruffalo), also an
Olympic champion. Dave was always the golden child
of wrestling, says Tatum. Everything that Mark did was
because Dave taught him. And it was impossible for Mark
to get out of his shadow. Thats the real truth and Du
Pont came along at this moment and just shined a light
on Mark.
Yet this is not merely a tale of simple sibling rivalry; Du
Pont lures Dave to his estate too, flinging unfathomable
sums at him to come and train his brother and the rest
of Team Foxcatcher (named after the horse farm that Du
Ponts father owned). What follows is not your classic
sports story of triumph over adversity, flush with medalwinning montages; rather, its a tragedy that culminates

in mental instability and murder.

When the film premiered at this years Cannes Film
Festival, it won Bennett Miller the Best Director award,
with early buzz suggesting that it will be a front runner at
next years Academy Awards. That could not be more
premature, groans Carell. The fact that it seems to be
warmly received, generally speaking, is great. And Im
extremely happy for Bennett; hes so deserving. But its a
slippery slope to discuss that sort of thing. I really did it to
be a part of it.
Still, Carells work in particular looks set for prizes.
According to Channing Tatum, his co-star was so deep
into character on set that he disappeared. I never worked
with Steve Carell, Tatum says. He was just Du Pont the
whole time. It rubbed off on the rest of the cast, who
all took the work deadly seriously, with the atmosphere
spreading across the set. I dont think we were being
Method or anything, nods Tatum. It was just this
unspoken thing.
Foxcatcher will be released on December 18. n

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JOHN WICK:

LOCKED AND LOADED

The Keanu Reeves-starring JOHN WICK written by DEREK KOLSTAD and produced by BASIL IWANYK puts a dark, new
spin on the action thriller genre. BY DANNY PEARY & ERIN FREE

t started with a script, producer, Basil Iwanyk,

tells FilmInk. Thats a process that you dont see
as much as you used to. In this era of comic book
adaptations, remakes, sequels, and TV series
revamps, action flicks based upon original scripts are
a rarity. But thats exactly what John Wick is, coming
directly from the mind and keyboard of Derek Kolstad,
who previously penned the low budget 2012 actioners,
One In The Chamber and The Package, both of which
starred grunt-and-thump figurehead, Dolph Lundgren. We
bought Dereks spec script a year ago, explains Iwanyk.
Keanu Reeves was the first person that we gave it to.
We hadnt seen him in a movie like this for a while, even
though hes been in three iconic action movies Speed,
The Matrix, and Point Break. So he wasnt overexposed.
It all came together really fast. The script that was shot
isnt that much different than the script that we bought,
and its been the same writer all the way through. Thats
very rare. It was a fresh script. Derek wrote it in about
two weeks and sent it out. We read it, and said that we
were interested. It was like, Whats the catch? It seems
too easy! It feels like its based on a graphic novel, but
its purely original.
Derek Kolstads script follows Keanu Reeves

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eponymous hit man, who comes out of a long period of

isolation when he finds himself the target of a former
friend. Despite the slick, modernist sheen applied to
the film by debut directorial duo, David Leitch and Chad
Stahelski who have a long history behind the scenes
as stunt coordinators Kolstads initial inspiration points
were decidedly more vintage in tone. When I grew up,
we didnt have cable, so Id sneak downstairs late at night
and watch old noir pictures from the forties and fifties, he
tells FilmInk. The Spy Who Came In From The Cold was
also a huge influence. I grew up reading all the Alistair
MacLean books. I loved Donald Westlake, and a lot of pulp
fiction. I wanted to take that and modernise it. John Wick
is a revenge thriller, but its a little bit different. The core
concept of this is: What if the devil found salvation? Does
he change? And what happens when that house of cards
collapses? Does he stay sane, or does he lose his mind?
Producer, Basil Iwanyk, found a slightly more
contemporary influence. One of our big touchstones was
Luc Bessons The Professional, he says. There was a
lone shred of decency in Jean Renos contract killer. We
never thought of Keanu as being the hero as much as
hes the protagonist. We actually had a draft of the script
where we lost our nerve, and we made him more generic.

The character was like, I just dont want to be involved.

Then hes pushed so far that he has to be involved. It felt
like an old Steven Seagal movie. Were trying to make
something different John Wick is a dark character. Hes
complex, and in some ways, hes nastier than all of the
people that hes fighting. That makes him interesting. I
think that audiences will admire his ruthlessness. Theres
no question that this is a darker spin on the action hero
than weve seen.
That doesnt mean that theres no room for fun. We
have tons of cars and guns, Basil Iwanyk says with a
disturbing flourish. Its a boy paradise. We call it gun
porn and car porn, because there are nice cars and
reloading gunsshotguns, pistols, bullets! It feels like
a twelve-year-old boy made this movie. Heres hoping
that this metaphorical twelve-year-old boy also has style
and taste
John Wick will be released on November 27. n

MelbOurne

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LETS BE COPS:

LAW & DISORDER

Stars, JAKE JOHNSON and DAMON WAYANS JR., suit up as phony police officers for director, LUKE GREENFIELD, in the riotous
new comedy, LETS BE COPS. BY GILL PRINGLE

ets Be Cops is the ultimate buddy cop movie

except for one thing theyre not actually cops. But
if you know anything about actors, Jake Johnson
and Damon Wayans Jr., both from TVs New Girl,
you probably guessed that already. The idea for Lets Be
Cops was born when director/co-writer, Luke Greenfield,
spent Halloween in a police officers uniform a choice
that had unexpected consequences. My costume
designer at the time got me a real LAPD uniform, and my
buddy and I walked around Los Angeles. The sense of
power and authority was incredible. I was single at the
time, and it became easy to talk to women on the street,
recalls Greenfield, who directed The Animal, The Girl Next
Door, and Something Borrowed.
Developing the idea with co-writer and executive
producer, Nicholas Thomas, the pair pitched the project to
Fox, and it was immediately greenlit. The first thing that
they did was cast the two lead characters of Justin and
Ryan. I knew that Damon and Jake are close friends,
says Greenfield. Theyre big fans of one anothers work,
and theyd been dying to do a film together. I was so lucky
to get them, and audiences will see that their friendship is
genuine. The two lead characters have no money and no
self-worth when they pull their police costume stunt for a
reunion party. Then, all of a sudden, theyre street heroes.
18 FILMINK WWW.FILMINK.COM.AU

But their fun masquerade escalates to the point where it

starts getting dangerous, and they mess with the wrong
peoplereal mobsters and dirty detectives.
Bringing a stamp of real Hollywood clout is Andy
Garcia as a top detective; Brit actor, James DArcy, as a
malevolent crime lord; comedy veteran, Rob Riggle, as
a sincere cop; and Vampire Diaries beauty, Nina Dobrev,
as a waitress who gets caught up with the boys. Shot in
Atlanta, Wayans and Johnson actually went on several
ride alongs with real cops, although nothing could have
prepared them for the films most memorable action
scene, which sees Johnson, Wayans and Riggle respond
to a police call at a hardware store in the middle of the
night. Here, the faux cops have a run-in with a 350-lb
Samoan burglar running around wearing nothing but
a crazy smile. This guy is running at me butt naked,
recalls Wayans with a shudder. I take him down, but
he lands right on top of me. Hes climbing all over me,
putting his behind right in my face. I took a long shower
after that scene.
Despite all the stunts and mayhem, at the heart of
the story is the friendship, with a pair of lifetime buddies
who may bicker non-stop, but always have each others
backs. Audiences will be pulling for Ryan and Justin,
says Johnson, who plays Ryan. Ryan is crazier and

more spontaneous than Justin, who is more grounded.

Together, theyre the perfect yin and yang, and they bring
out the best in one another.
Jake and I get along so well that we bring a lot of our
own relationship to the movie, says Wayans. Justin and
Ryan are like brothers, or like a married couple who fight
and make up. Jake and I work so well together because
we get along really well off camera. We have a similar
sense of humour, and it helped that we were free to
explore and improvise.
One of the movies best comic gimmicks comes
when Ryan purchases a real police car off eBay!
which allowed the filmmakers to utilise every cop buddy
scenario in the playbook. What I really want people to
know is that this movie is a hard [US] R [rating], Johnson
grins. We go for it!
Lets Be Cops will be released
on November 13. n

Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Cowabunga! Megan Fox and Will Arnett front up for the premiere of the
Michael Bay-produced hit, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

The kids a star, we reckon Jeff Bridges was proclaiming of young Aussie actor, Brenton Thwaites
(far left), his co-star in the sci-fi drama, The Giver, which also stars (from left) Emma Tremblay, Taylor
Swift, Meryl Streep, and Katie Holmes.

STRANGER WITH MY FACE

HORROR FILM FESTIVAL (TASMANIA)
BIRDMAN PHOTO CALL
(THE VENICE FILM FESTIVAL)

Makeup FX artist, Mel Cooper, festival director, Rebecca Thomson, director, Ann Turner, actor, Rebecca
Smart, festival director, Briony Kidd, and Freya Langford-Sidebottom get appropriately freaky at the
opening night screening of the 1989 cult fave, Celia.

Photo by Brady Denehey

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES

PREMIERE (LOS ANGELES)

THE GIVER PRESS CONFERENCE

(NEW YORK)

Getting a leg-up for their new superhero/Hollywood satire, Birdman,

are Amy Ryan, Edward Norton, Emma Stone, director, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu,
Michael Keaton, and Andrea Riseborough.

CINEFEST OZ FILM FESTIVAL,

DIRECTORS LUNCH (ARAVINA ESTATE, WA)

Cheers, shady people! David Wenham and friends live it up at The CinefestOZ Film Festival.
20
20 FILMIN
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WWW.FILMINK.COM.AU

THE MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL

FILM FESTIVAL

Hello, ladies! Nathan Phillips surrounds himself with local beauties, Jessica Du Gouw and Sarah
Snook, at the after party for the opening night of The Melbourne International Film Festival.

RUSSIAN
RESURRECTION
RUSSIAN FILM FESTIVAL 2014

Canberra
Sydney
Brisbane
Perth
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Melbourne

28 OCT5 NOV
30 OCT9 NOV
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7-09 NOVEMBER
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Auckland NZ 24-27 OCTOBER

For information visit russianresurrection.com

NEW FACE
As a recovering drug addict caught up in a mess of murder and kidnapping,
young actor, BOYD HOLBROOK, makes his presence felt in the Liam Neesonstarring thriller, A WALK AMONG THE TOMBSTONES. BY DANNY PEARY

d just had surgery four days earlier, and I was on crutches,

Boyd Holbrook tells FilmInk of his audition for A Walk Among
The Tombstones. I was on so many medications. Im horrible at
auditioning, so I should go medicated to all my auditions, because it
worked! He might claim to be a low-level talent when it comes to
auditioning, but that hasnt stopped the youthful looking Boyd Holbrook
who is actually 33-years-old from scoring a succession of plum, profile
raising roles. He debuted with a minor part in Gus Van Sants Milk, and has
since booked roles on TVs The Big C and Hatfields & McCoys, and in films
such as Higher Ground, The Reunion, Very Good Girls (on which he met
his fiancee and fellow actress, Elizabeth Olsen), and the Stephenie Meyer
adaptation, The Host. This month alone, he can be seen in three exciting
releases, including the quirky comedy, The Skeleton Twins, starring Bill
Hader and Kristen Wiig; and David Finchers murder mystery, Gone Girl.
Ive tried my hand at a couple of different things, says the busy Holbrook,
who has also wrapped production as a director on the short film, Peacock
Killer, which he adapted from a story by Sam Shepard.
Holbrooks juiciest role to date, however, comes in A Walk Among The
Tombstones, an adaptation of Lawrence Blocks crime novel. Though Liam
Neeson drives the moody thriller as recovering alcoholic and ex-cop, Matt
Scudder, Boyd Holbrook boasts a raft of scene stealing moments as the
edgy Peter Christo, who offers up a swathe of opportunities for the actor.
Peter developed a drug habit while trying to pay his way
through school, Holbrook tells FilmInk of his character.
He got hooked and went down that hole, but hes
struggling to get back on his feet, which is one of the
most attractive things about the character. But he
cant quite get it together, even though hes a very
loving, caring guy. It just never works out he
even falls in love with his brothers wife, which
is a very sticky situation to get into! I dropped
a lot of weight for the role, Holbrook adds,
and I spent a lot of time sitting in on
Narcotics Anonymous meetings.
As well as the range offered up by
his absorbingly shady character, the
Kentucky-born Holbrook also lapped up
the films New York location shoot (I
went to drama school in New York,
but for this, Ive been to places in
the city that I wouldnt normally
go) and the chance to go toeto-toe with Liam Neeson.
Hes a generous actor,
Holbrook says. You work
off him and he works off
you. Hes a blue-collar guy
he wants to work, and
thats the only thing that
hes there for, though he
likes to cut up and have a
good time too. Those good
times will likely continue,
with Holbrook set to reunite
with Neeson on the thriller,
Run All Night, one of a host
of exciting upcoming projects
(including a film for Terrence Malick)
for this actor to watch.
A Walk Among The Tombstones is released
on October 16 and will be reviewed
at www.filmink.com.au. n

22 FILMINK WWW.FILMINK.COM.AU

Photo by Larry Busacca/Getty Images

RIGHT
DIRECTION

ROLE
MODEL
The Many Roles Of...

PIERCE BROSNAN THE LOVE PUNCH

DANTE'S PEAK

EVELYN

GOLDEN EYE

GREY OWL

MAMMA MIA!

MARS ATTACKS!

MISTER JOHNSON

MRS. DOUBTFIRE

PERCY JACKSON &

THE LIGHTNING THIEF

REMINGTON STEELE

ROBINSON CRUSOE

SERAPHIM FALLS

I THINK THAT ALL THE FILMS THAT IVE EVER

MADE ARE PERSONAL, EVEN THE JAMES BOND
MOVIES, BECAUSE ITS SO MUCH OF MYSELF,
AND SO MUCH OF WHO I AM AS A MAN AND
AS AN ACTOR. YOU HAVE TO INVEST YOURSELF
IN EVERY CHARACTER THAT YOU PORTRAY.

TAFFIN

THE DECEIVERS

BREAK A LEG!
When one of the faulty doors on The Millennium Falcon now
famously slammed down on star, Harrison Ford, during the shoot
for Star Wars: Episode VII, it shattered his leg and put the actor out
of commission for six months. Well, hes now back on his feet, but
in what rates as a very Dumb Idea, the 72-year-old decided to test
his recently healed leg by hurling himself down the 2,500 Alpine
Slide upon which riders can hit speeds of 30 miles per hour in
Jackson Hole, Wyoming during a day out with his family. Though
stable enough to strut the red carpet at the recent premiere of The
Expendables 3, wed imagine that Fords super-slide antics would
have given Star Wars director, J. J. Abrams, a near heart attack.
REMAKE HELL: THE CONTINUING STORY
The 1983 comedy, Vacation, was one of the best of the eighties,
and inspired a series of sequels and spin-offs of diminishing quality.
After being off the cinematic scene for a while, the series is now
set to be rebooted, with Ed Helms tapped to play Rusty Griswold,
the grown son of Chevy Chases Vacation patriarch, Clark Griswold,
who will cameo, along with his on-screen wife, Beverly DAngelo.
Propping up the cast are Chris Hemsworth (!), Charlie Day, and
Christina Applegate. And also set for a reboot is the character of
Anne Rices The Vampire Lestat, originally played by Tom Cruise
in Interview With The Vampire. The Fault In Our Stars helmer, Josh
Boone, is looking to revive the bloodsucker for a new film series.
TOO BAD
With his career currently located somewhere in the toilet, its no
surprise that notoriously unfunny funny man, Martin Lawrence,
is desperate for a third installment of his hit buddy cop series, Bad
Boys, to get the greenlight. Eleven years ago today, Bad Boys II was
released in theatres, he tweeted a couple of months ago. Feelin
its about time for number 3 what do you think, Will Smith?
While his far more successful co-star has yet to confirm his interest,
Lawrence sadly says that Bad Boys is, indeed, in the works. I just
talked to [producer] Jerry Bruckheimer, and he said that its real,
theyre working on the script, theyre getting close, and it all looks
good, he told US talk show host, Conan OBrien. Boooo!!!
THE NOT SO PERFECT STORM
As the writer of Stargate and Independence Day, Dean Devlin certainly
has a strong pedigree in the sci-fi action genre, but his upcoming
big budget directorial effort, Geostorm, sounds like something that
those opportunistic knuckleheads at mockbuster production
house, The Asylum, would cook up. In the absurd-sounding thriller,
the increasingly undiscerning Gerard Butler plays a stubborn but
charming satellite designer who, when the worlds climate-controlling
satellites malfunction, has to work together with his estranged
brother (Jim Sturgess) to save the world from a man-made storm of
epic proportions. A trip into space follows, while on Earth, a plot to
assassinate The President (Andy Garcia!) begins to unfold.

THE FOURTH PROTOCOL

THE GHOST WRITER

THE LAWNMOVER MAN

THE LONG GOOD FRIDAY

THE MATADOR

THE TAILOR OF PANAMA

THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR

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24

DUMB ideas

DUMPING A BUCKET
You know youre in trouble when Jackass prankster, Steve-O, is the
voice of reason. While the worlds celebrities have been publicly
dousing themselves in iced water to apparently bring in money and
raise awareness for Lou Gehrigs Disease, Steve-O has pointed
out that most of them have failed to include a couple of important
details in their self-splashing video uploads: the charitys details, and
information about donating money. Charlie Sheen and Bill Gates
were the only ones who even hinted that the entire point is to donate
money, Steve-O has said. All those other celebrities just poured
water over their heads without including any call to action, which
doesnt benefit victims at all. Head to www.alsa.org/donate for info.

HOLLYWOODARSEHOLES

INDIANA PRODUCTION COMPANY RAI CINEMA MANNY FILMS MOTORINO AMARANTO

AND HI GLOSS ENTERTAINMENT PRESENT
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GET GOOPED!

Gwyneth Paltrows irritatingly smug

lifestyle website, Goop.com, might
be all about doing the right thing,
but according to health expert,
Charles Platkin, theyre not above a
bit of plagiarism. Platkin alleges that
the site used his Diet Detective
copyright without his permission in
a recent article. Like all good phony
lefties, the gang at Goop claim
to be protected under their First
Amendment rights of free speech.
Platkin, however, wont be placated
with a free bowl of muesli and a foot
rub: he is seeking monetary damages
and a jury trial from Goop.com, and
is asking a judge to bar bosses at the
company from using his trademark
again. Consciously un-couple that,
Gwyneth!

LOOK WHOS STALKING

GIOVANNI

ANZALDO

BEBO

PAOLO VIRZ

THEY BET ON ITALYS RUIN.

AND THEY WON.

If the weird art installations, brown

paper bag, and inability to behave
himself at stage performances of
Cabaret werent enough, increasingly
unhinged young actor, Shia LaBeouf,
now has a stalker. LaBeouf called the
police recently when a woman arrived
at the door of his property in the
exclusive neighbourhood of Sherman
Oaks, California. She keeps showing
up at my house randomly, LaBeouf
can be heard saying on the police
tape. Shes basically on my property,
and shes been stalking me. I have
no idea who this person is. Police
officers eventually arrested 31-year-old
Graciela Nahle. She pleaded no contest
to trespassing, and was sentenced to
45 days in jail, of which she served a
whopping, um, four.

T
FINESA
N
ITALI of
FILM 4
201
GETTING WOOD

Furniture was being thrown around

on the set of 79-year-old Woody
Allens latest, as-yet-untitled
project? Isnt he a bit old for that?
Or was The Woodster having a
senior moment of mammoth
proportions? Or was it one of his
temperamental stars, Emma Stone,
Joaquin Phoenix, or Parker Posey?
Dont worry, folks, it was just some
whack-job called Mark Spiridakos,
who reportedly walked onto the set
and began asking weird questions
about the films stars before
allegedly turning violent and tossing
furniture all over the place. He was
tackled to the ground and had to
be taken to hospital for medical
treatment after injuring his head
during his inexplicable outburst.

GILLIAM GETS TAGGED

Argentinian graffiti artists, Franco

Fasoli (known as Jaz) and Nicolas
Escalada (aka Ever), and Canadian,
Derek Mehaffey (alias Other), have
accused director, Terry Gilliam, and
the producers of his latest film, The
Zero Theorem, of ripping off the huge
mural, entitled Castillo, that they
created in Buenos Aires, Argentina
as part of the citys famous street
art zone. The trio insists that a mural
which features in The Zero Theorem
is a blatant misappropriation
of Castillo (which has achieved
international recognition in the art
world, and is widely recognised by
the public in Argentina and abroad),
and theyre demanding an injunction
on the movie, which opened in
Australia earlier this year.

A stylish fusion of class critique

and murder mystery JAY WEISSBERG, VARIETY
WINNER
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N A T I O N A LRELEASE
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Check the Classification

INDIANA PRODUCTION COMPANY RAI CINEMA MANNY FILMS MOTORINO AMARANTO

PRESENT HUMAN CAPITAL A FILM BY PAOLO VIRZ
VALERIA BRUNI TEDESCHI FABRIZIO BENTIVOGLIO VALERIA GOLINO FABRIZIO GIFUNI LUIGI LO CASCIO
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PRODUCTION WITH RAI CINEMA IN CO-PRODUCTION WITH MANNY FILMS DIRECTED BY PAOLO VIRZ 2013. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Cameo

RAISE YOUR

VOICE
Game Of Thrones actor, ISAAC HEMPSTEAD WRIGHT,
is extending his repertoire with voice acting in the
animated adventure-comedy, THE BOXTROLLS.
BY TOLI PAPADOPOULOS

26 FILMIN
FILMINK
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WWW.FILMINK.COM.AU
26

IT WAS
A FUN
PROCESS
Elle Fanning. He mentions that he was filmed whilst doing
his voice work, allowing the studio to base Eggs facial
characteristics on his. The animation process is unique to
Laika, he explains. They have a cutting edge 3-D printing
set-up which prints in colour, and theyll paint the video
of the actor doing their lines, and study exactly how the
mouth moves, and all the little nuances.
Hempstead Wright jokes that there were multiple
takes of certain scenes as his voice dropped throughout
the shooting process. It wasnt as if we were re-doing
the film all over again. It was a fun process, and a very
exciting thing to be able to do, he laughs. And as far
as preparation is concerned, Hempstead Wright says
that it wasnt too time consuming. I didnt think deeply
about any preparation, just because the directors were
truly excellent at being able to do that all for me, if you
will, he says. I would come into the studio, and theyd
know exactly what the character was thinking, and how
it would be reflected in the voice. They were great at

communicating that to me easily.

But its all exciting work for Hempstead Wright, whose
career is the result of a happy accident. He was looking
for a Saturday morning pastime after finding football to be
too cold during the winter months. By a stroke of luck,
Game Of Thrones was conducting an open casting in his
area, and after being sent by his drama teacher for an
audition, Hempstead Wright landed the role of Brandon
Stark. We had absolutely no idea what Game Of Thrones
would become in any way whatsoever, he says. It was
just thoroughly exciting to say that Im in a TV show.
Still, for Hempstead Wright, the fame hasnt changed
his home life too much. Normal activities such as hanging
with his friends, playing video games, and school are still
on the agenda, at least until he returns to play Brandon
Stark in a role that he refers to as a bizarre other life.
The Boxtrolls is released on September 18
and is reviewed on Page 77. n

Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images

f youve seen Game Of Thrones, youll no doubt

recognise fifteen-year-old Isaac Hempstead Wright
for his standout performance as perennially-in-peril
youngster, Brandon Stark. Recently, Hempstead
Wright has delved into voice acting, and tells FilmInk
that he was excited to take the lead in the stop-motion
animated adventure-comedy, The Boxtrolls. It certainly
is one of the more light-hearted things that Ive done,
Hempstead Wright notes. Due to the adult themes in
Game Of Thrones, the actors equally under-age friends
arent allowed to check out his performance in the fantasydrama. The young actor tells us that its nice to star in a
project that his friends are allowed to see. Its a really
little, cohesive, fun little story, and the Boxtrolls are cute,
Hempstead Wright says.
Based on the childrens novel, Here Be Monsters!, The
Boxtrolls features the vocal stylings of up and coming
actress, Elle Fanning, and legendary stars, Ben Kingsley,
Simon Pegg, Toni Collette, and Nick Frost. The story
centres on a young orphan boy named Eggs (Hempstead
Wright) and his quest to protect a group of underground
cave-dwelling creatures from extermination. Hempstead
Wright tells us that the film hones in on one particular set
of characters and storyline from the original book. What
the films trying to do is sum up this world in an hour-anda-half, and thered be no way to feature all these different
storylines and fantastical creatures in that time, the
young thesp explains.
Taking a personal interest in the storys production,
Hempstead Wright stepped out of the recording studio to
take a trip down to Laika Studios, the animation production
house behind Coraline and ParaNorman. It was there that
he was able to observe all the finer details that go into
animating the film. They put so much effort into every
detail, Hempstead Wright says. Its so easy to gloss over
it, but when you look at it and you point it out, you realise
that its an incredibly time consuming process.
The young actor also notes that animation has
several key differences to live action. Turning up to an air
conditioned studio, Hempstead Wright was comfortably
able to record his voice for the film. The only disadvantage,
he claims, is the environment. Youre somewhat removed
from what the actual characters are going through, he
says. On the other hand, in live action, your voice is
only 40-50% of the actual final performance, whereas in
animation, its 100% your voice, which is very different.
In spite of the detached production process,
Hempstead Wright was fortunate enough to have
recording sessions alongside Kingsley, Pegg, and co-star,

 Movies Comics Anime Novels Sci-fi

Wrestling Fantasy Games Comps Fun!

And so many more stars, voice actors, authors,

comic creators, and more! Live and in person!

Adelaide Showground, November 22 & 23

Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre
Great New Venue! November 28, 29 & 30
www.supa nova.com.a u
ets r

Ticke dooh
g
h
at rt throu
o

*All guests confirmed health and other commitments pending. Must be accompanied by a paying adult.

Cameo

FAMILY

LAW

Screen legend, ROBERT DUVALL, throws sparks with

Robert Downey Jr. as a father and son caught up in
a legal nightmare in the powerful drama, THE JUDGE.
BY GILL PRINGLE

28 FILMIN
FILMINK
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A LOT OF ACTORS LIKE TO TALK A LOT, BUT

I LET THE PROCESS TAKE ME WHERE YOU
THINK THE TALK IS GOING TO TAKE YOU.
A living legend, FilmInk would like to pick his brains
about his career, but Duvall, typically, is far more interested
in the world around him: soccer, show-jumping, tango
dancing, bull-riding, rodeos, and his wifes new passion for
Jiu Jitsu. Bobby is one of the more socially active people
that Ive ever met, Downey Jr. says, recalling their long
weeks filming in Boston. Wed go home after work while
hed have his Texas Rangers buddies come into town. They
were going out all night, and then hes bringing brisket to
the set, and Im thinking, How did he go out again last
night?! He probably went our three or four nights a week.
But on the set, Downey describes Duvall as a lovely and
unpredictable person to work with. He doesnt talk, he just
does it. Says Duvall: I dont like to talk; I dont know what
to say. A lot of actors like to talk a lot, but I let the process
take me where you think the talk is going to take you.
To his mind, The Judge is of the same calibre as
The Godfather or Apocalypse Now. This movie is kinda
like that, Duvall says. Its going to be a big movie like
Apocalypse Now.

Duvall has long straddled both small and big screen

success, despite the fact that critics hail such crosspollination as something new. I dont think TV has got that
much better, says Duvall, whose critically-hailed works,
Lonesome Dove, Stalin, and Broken Trail were all made for
TV. True Detective and Fargo arent that great. Television is
like film: sometimes its good, and sometimes its not.
Duvall hopes that The Judge might even encourage
broken families to bury the hatchet. The family entity
is the most complex entity in the worldits crazy,
he laughs. And you cant outlaw family. I dont know a
family anywhere in the world with whom Im connected
that doesnt have immense problems. My wifes family
is in Northern Argentina, and my family is in Milwaukee,
Wisconsin. You could write stories about them, and the
downside of it all, but youve gotta have families.
The Judge is released on October 9 and will
be reviewed at www.filmink.com.au. n

Photo by Shirlaine Forrest/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures

es won an Oscar for Tender Mercies, a BAFTA

for Apocalypse Now, and four Golden Globes.
And after such a long and distinguished career,
83-year-old Robert Duvall initially rejected an
offer to co-star with Robert Downey Jr. in the
drama, The Judge, because he was unwilling to participate
in a scene that he feared might be humiliating. Without
putting too fine a point on it or, indeed, spoiling the plot,
its an intimate scene in a bathroom. Thats why I turned
the part down, Duvall tells FilmInk. Do I really want to
do that? I asked myself. And then my agent said, No, you
have to do that. It was a challenge, but in the end, we
didnt have to work too hard to make it happen.
A living legend whos shared the screen with Marlon
Brando, Laurence Olivier, Clint Eastwood, Steve McQueen,
and John Wayne, Duvall has tackled pretty much every
character and scenario, but, until today, hes never
embodied the frailties that come with old age. If Duvalls
agent was persuasive, then so too was Robert Downey
Jr., who was eager to co-star with the veteran character
actor for the first time, while also assisting his wife, Susan
Downey, in producing the film. The formidable husbandand-wife team were determined to cast Duvall as the
titles small town judge, with Downey Jr. portraying his
estranged son, now a big city lawyer, who returns to his
childhood home when his old man is suspected of murder.
When FilmInk meets with the two Roberts in Los
Angeles, Downey Jr. explains that, after Duvalls initial
qualms, it was the older man who actually made shooting
the aforementioned difficult scene so easy. This was
a pivotal, dramatic, and graphic scene, but we werent
trying to do something that was like, Wow, look how real
they are! You dont want something to be too schmaltzy,
and Bobby led us through that. He said, This should be
easy. The scene is about transitioning from something
uncomfortable and embarrassing into us being able to
actually, for the first time, have a laugh together.
Featuring an A-list cast including Vera Farmiga, Billy Bob
Thornton, and Vincent DOnofrio, it was Bill Dubuques script
that finally convinced Duvall to accept the role. It was one of
the smartest scripts that I ever read. The father-son aspect
was the most compelling element, says the actor who,
during a sixty-year career, has appeared in True Grit, The
Apostle, The Godfather, and, more recently, Crazy Heart and
Jack Reacher. While his best pal, Gene Hackman, famously
retired several years ago, Duvall admits that the thought has
also crossed his mind. Yeah, of course, but when things pop
up, you go after them, he says.

There are no
second chances

Cinema, curated

Force Majeure
The Skeleton Twins
The Infinite Man

Unanimously acclaimed upon its premiere at the SXSW

Film Festival, Hugh Sullivans independent Australian
comedy is a uniquely original travel romance. Controlfreak inventor Dean (Josh McConville) and Lana
(Hannah Marshall) return to the motel where they spent
their last anniversary, only to discover that it has been
abandoned. When an old-flame of Lanas, the egotistical
Terry (Alex Dimitriades), shows up to make matters
worse, Dean creates a time machine that will allow him
to fix every last detail of their disastrous holiday in order
to win back Lana. Marvellously ingenious, Sullivans
economical film is a master class in how to create a low
budget science fiction that leaves most blockbusters for
dead. (MA15+)
Director: Hugh Sullivan
SBS.com.au: Unafraid of its low budget limitations, The
Infinite Man makes splendid use of its three-person cast,
revels in its minimalist location and yet never feels
constrained.

It's easy to see why The Skeleton Twins won the US

Dramatic Screenwriting Award at this year's Sundance
Film Festival. It's a fearless, funny drama that isn't
afraid to have flawed, destructive characters who still
never lose our sympathy. Estranged thirtysomething
siblings Milo (Bill Hader) and Maggie (Kristin Wiig) hit
rock bottom at opposite ends of the country. Once so
close, they haven't spoken for 10 years. Now Milo joins
Maggie and her painfully upbeat husband Lance (Luke
Wilson) in the hometown she never left. Former
Saturday Night Live stars Wiig and Hader bring their
comedic skills to strong and vulnerable dramatic
performances, and downbeat meets laugh-out-loud. (M)
Director: Craig Johnson
Quickflix: Gentle, funny and very moving, The Skeleton
Twins is too late to make stars out of the already-adored
Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader, but is just in time to prove
they've got much more to give in their hopefully very long
careers.

When an avalanche comes rumbling toward Tomas and

his family in the middle of a skiing holiday, he follows his
first instincts and runs leaving his wife and two children
behind. The avalanche turns out to be a false alarm, but
when Thomas returns to his family he finds that his
betrayal may have caused more damage than a wall of
snow ever could. With a light hand, touches of humour
and merciless precision, Ruben stlund depicts the
subtle decay of a marriage in his caustically satiric third
feature. A psychological thriller that questions some of
our most closely guarded truths, Force Majeure paints
an unsettlingly recognisable portrait of the facades we
all live behind and the lies we believe for love. (M)
Director: Ruben stlund
Winner Jury Prize Un Certain Regard,
Festival de Cannes 2014
Daily Telegraph stlund has become an almost brutal
satirist of his countrymen's foibles, presumptions and hidden
prejudices, like Bergman with a more wicked streak.
Release date: October 16

Release date: September 25

Release date: September 18

380 Lygon Street Carlton

cinemanova.com.au

Character Piece

Broken Dreams

THE BEST FILMS NEVER MADE

STANLEY KUBRICK:
THE GERMAN
LIEUTENANT
The late, great Stanley Kubrick is almost
as famous for the films that he didnt
make as the heralded favourites that he
did complete. There was his cherished
biopic on Napoleon Bonaparte (with Jack
Nicholson in the lead role); the Holocaust
drama, The Aryan Papers (which the
director scuttled when his friend, Steven
Spielberg, beat him to the punch with
Schindlers List); a biopic about Nazi
filmmaker, Veit Harlan (the uncle of
Kubricks wife); an adaptation of Umberto
Ecos 1988 novel, Foucaults Pendulum; I
Stole 16 Million Dollars, a fictional account
of thirties bank robber, Willie Sutton, set
to star Kirk Douglas; and many, many
more. One of Kubricks most interesting
(and less discussed) unrealised projects,
however, was The German Lieutenant,
which he co-wrote with Richard Adams,
a paratrooper in The Korean War who
had also studied with master Danish
filmmaker, Carl Dreyer. Drawing on Adams
own wartime experiences, the WW2set The German Lieutenant follows two
friends Lieutenants Kraus and Dietrich,
professional German soldiers in the elite
paratroop division assigned an absurd
and utterly pointless mission in the dying
days of the war, with the Allies set to
topple The Third Reich. For Kubrick,
the project would be a quick return to
the cinematic battlefield after his 1957
WW1-set masterpiece, Paths Of Glory.
One of the attractions of a war or crime
story is that it provides an almost unique
opportunity to contrast an individual of
our contemporary society with a solid
framework of accepted value, which the
audience becomes fully aware of, and
which can be used as a counterpoint to a
human, individual, emotional situation, the
director told Film Quarterly in 1959 of the
appeal of The German Lieutenant. Further,
war acts as a kind of hothouse for forced,
quick breeding of attitudes and feelings.
Attitudes crystallise and come out into the
open. Conflict is natural, when it would in a
less critical situation have to be introduced
almost as a contrivance, and would thus
appear forced, or even worse false.
Sadly, like so many of Kubricks lost
projects, The German Lieutenant became
another casualty of the directors hardfought cinematic war. n
30 FILMINK WWW.FILMINK.COM.AU

PRIVATE WITT

(JIM CAVIEZEL) IN THE THIN RED LINE

998s The Thin Red Line, adapted

from the powerful novel by
James Jones, is an astoundingly
complete and stunning work from
notoriously non-prolific Texan writer/
director, Terrence Malick (Badlands,
Days Of Heaven). A WW2 film like no
other, the film has the quality of a fever
dream: the imagery is hallucinogenic
and otherworldly, while the emotions
ripple with quiet force. With just one
shot or scene, Malick says more about
the nature of man and war than most
filmmakers could say with an entire
film. Boasting a huge ensemble cast
(Sean Penn, Nick Nolte, John Cusack,
Woody Harrelson, Ben Chaplin and
many, many more), The Thin Red Line is
grand, idiosyncratic filmmaking of the
first order, and at its wounded heart lies
a profoundly fascinating character. One
member of the films gallery of military
men, Private Witt is a truly dichotomous
figure: peaceful, sensitive, and blissfully
in touch with the natural forces that

WW2
MOVIES!
(1) In Saving Private Ryan, which
landing beach is the scene for the
opening 27 minutes of gruesome
action?
(2) Which Swedish-born actor played
the role of Major Karl Von Steiner in the
1981 film, Escape To Victory?
(3) Which character was nicknamed
The Bear Jew in the movie, Inglorious
Basterds?

surround him in the war ravaged South

Pacific, hes also a highly proficient
soldier whose bravery outstrips that
of the more brusque, big-talking men
around him. Though he begins the film
as a deserter, Private Witt is no coward.
With what James Jones had written
on the page, and with the legendary
Terrence Malick making his first movie
in twenty years, the role of the spiritual,
rebellious Private Witt became one of the
most sought after in Hollywood. Johnny
Depp, Brad Pitt, and Leonardo DiCaprio
were all in contention for the part, but in
the end, Terrence Malick opted for the
unknown Jim Caviezel, who had appeared
in minor spots in Wyatt Earp and GI
Jane. It was a casting masterstroke,
with the actors soulful performance
recalling everything from Mark Twains
Huckleberry Finn to Montgomery Clift in
From Here To Eternity. Jim reflects a kind
of innocence and purity that made him
very attractive for this role, The Thin Red
Line executive producer, George Stevens

(4) Which 1993 WW2-era movie won

seven Academy Awards?
(5) The Battle Of Britain was a 1969 film
starring Laurence Olivier, but in what
year was the real Battle Of Britain?
(6) In the movie, The Great Escape, which
actor used a terrible Australian accent to
play the role of Louis Sedgwick?
(7) The 1998 film, The Thin Red Line,
deals with a fictionalised version of
which WW2 battle?
(8) Which 1967 WW2 film is divided

Jr., told The New York Daily News.

Ironically, Caviezel was on the verge of
quitting acting after his career had failed
to fire, and hed just missed out on a lead
role in Stephen Frears contemporary
western, The Hi-Lo Country. I was
almost out the door, Caviezel told The
New York Daily News. But after months
of extensive discussions, Terrence Malick
finally phoned to tell Caviezel that the
role of Private Witt was his. If my eyes
had flood dams, they were released
they broke, the actor told The Lexington
Herald-Reader. I pulled the phone away,
because I didnt want him to think that I
was desperate. In the end, it may have
been Jim Caviezels now famous sense
of decency and integrity that got him the
part in The Thin Red Line. I think that
Terry [Malick] cast a lot of guys who
are similar to their characters, he told
The Lexington Herald-Reader. Im not
as good as Witt, but I have idealistic
leanings. n

into three sections: Identification &

Recruitment Of Prisoners, Training,
and The Mission?
(9) Which film, regularly voted one of
the greatest films of all time, was set
in WW2, but was released well before
WW2 ended?
(10) Who directed the 2006 WW2 film,
Letters From Iwo Jima?
Quiz supplied by Trivia Madness.
Email wayne@triviamadness.com.au.
For the answers, turn to Prize Pool
on Page 93. n

BEN AFFLECK
Matt Damon they played baseball
and took drama classes together,
and would much later collaborate
on the Oscar winning screenplay for
the 1997 drama, Good Will Hunting.
Afflecks teen years consisted of
TV movies and television guest
appearances, with his first major
splash in feature films coming in
1993 with his brilliant performance
as a high school bully in Richard
Linklaters Dazed And Confused.
NOTCHES ON HIS BELT
Ben Affleck has jumped with
apparent ease from the in-your-face
indie comedies of his good friend,
Kevin Smith (Mallrats, Chasing Amy,
Dogma), to rock-solid, blue ribbon
flicks (State Of Play, Shakespeare In
Love). In between, there have been
an inordinate amount of shockers
(Reindeer Games, Paycheck, Gigli,
Surviving Christmas), as well as a
double dalliance with Michael Bay
(Armageddon, Pearl Harbor), but
Affleck has been able to offset the
dross with strong work in films like
Hollywoodland, Changing Lanes,
and The Company Men. It is as
a director, however, that Affleck
has really shone, delivering three
highly impressive efforts with Gone
Baby Gone, The Town, and the
Oscar winning Argo. This month,
he headlines David Finchers hotly
anticipated Gone Girl.
WHY WE LOVE HIM
Hes talented, and never
takes himself too
seriously.
LIP SERVICE
People were always
telling me, Youre
too big, youre too
tall! You can only
play bullies, and
you will never be
a leading man.
I feel plagued by
insecurity.
When fame
arrives, its not
really a surprise,
but its not what
you were planning
on either.
THE LAST WORD
Big Ben n

Photo by Stuart Wilson/Getty Images

WHO?
Despite being literally tall, dark, and
handsome, actor/writer/director,
Ben Affleck, has built a long and
successful career on constantly
doing the unexpected, whether by
taking roles in unusual films with
more artistic than commercial value,
turning screenwriter at an early
age, or by opting to get behind the
camera at a surprising juncture in
his Hollywood journey. Benjamin
Geza Affleck was born in 1972 in
Berkeley, California, and raised in
Cambridge, Massachusetts, by a
social worker father and school
teacher mother. With ambitions
to act from a young age, Afflecks
first on-screen experience was in a
Burger King commercial at the age
of eleven, which he followed with a
major role in the childrens TV series,
The Voyage Of The Mimi. It was
also at that age when Affleck met
his lifelong friend and fellow actor,

Backstory

YOUTHINREVOLT
Producer, WYCK GODFREY, and director, WES BALL, assemble an exciting young cast led by DYLAN OBRIEN, WILL POULTER,
THOMAS BRODIE-SANGSTER, and KAYA SCODELARIO for the sci-fi thriller, THE MAZE RUNNER. BY GILL PRINGLE

won the lottery! says first time feature film director,

Wes Ball. My job was to give the studio a franchise,
and hopefully weve succeeded. Ball was plucked
from obscurity to direct The Maze Runner, a futuristic
tale about a group of boys mysteriously trapped
within the walls of a maze, with no memory of who they
are, or where they came from. Based on James Dashners
bestselling series, first published in 2009, Ball inherited
the film when Lords Of Dogtown and Twilight director,
Catherine Hardwicke, left the project. Everyone wants the
next Hunger Games franchise, and it hadnt worked out
with Catherine, says Ball, adding somewhat audaciously,
I felt that Catherines screenplay had strayed too far from
the book, so I wanted to go back to the source.
Admittedly, it wasnt an easy conversation for a newbie
to be having with a giant conglomerate like 21st Century
Fox. I know, right? he grins to FilmInk in Los Angeles.
Im telling them that Im going to throw out their script
and start over. It was a big risk on their part, but it was the
book that had created all these fans in the first place, and I
wanted to stay true to that.
Balls unique skill-set made him less of a gamble
than one might imagine, with the director having already
created an innovative and futuristic Maze Runner-like
world for his own short movie, Ruin. I have a small visual
effects company, and I decided that after a few years of
doing other peoples work, I wanted to do something for
myself, Ball explains. I closed up shop and made Ruin. I
put it online, and it just exploded through Twitter.

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32 FILMIN

Determined not to populate The Maze Runner with

pretty faces, it comes as a surprise to learn that Wes Ball
actually rejected TVs Teen Wolf teen idol, Dylan OBrien, on
the grounds that he was too good-looking. Instead, he went
on to audition hundreds of other actors until a colleague
persuaded him to take another look at the actor, who
would ultimately portray Thomas, the main character in the
story, who is literally in every frame of the movie. The film
opens with his arrival in The Glade a large, open expanse
surrounded by enormous concrete walls, and populated
by a colony of boys, a scenario somewhat akin to that of
William Goldings classic novel, Lord Of The Flies. He quickly
learns that each resident of The Glade has a role to play,
from gardening to construction to being one of the elite
runners who map the walls of the maze that hold them
captive and change configurations every night. The Maze
Runners race against the clock to cover as much ground as
possible before the end of the day, when the maze locks
down and the deadly biomechanical Grievers roam the
corridors of the concrete structure.
Despite being a newcomer to The Glade, Thomas
rapidly asserts himself as a leader. The role of Thomas
was so crucial and, in my mind, I wanted River Phoenix.
Not just River Phoenix, but River Phoenix in [Peter Weirs
1986 drama] The Mosquito Coast, says Ball. Dylans
audition tape looked too slick, but when I came across a
photo of him with a shaved head, I saw him in a totally
different light. Dylan OBrien laughs when he hears this.
I taped my audition right after finishing Teen Wolf, he

explains. I was still in hair and make-up, which I thought

would be a plus! It was months later that I found out that
it had the opposite effect!
In the firm belief that 90% of a directors job is in the
casting, Ball was rigorous about assembling the right
actors, almost immediately hiring relative unknown, Kaya
Scodelario, after seeing her in the seminal British TV
series, Skins. Shes the only woman in the group, so I
needed someone who could be as tough as the guys,
the director says. Scodelario laughs at this perception of
herself. Ive always been very shy, she offers. Growing
up in London, I was bullied so much at one school that I
changed schools. Id only been there a few weeks when
I found out about the audition for Skins. That changed
everything for me. The actress was amazed at Balls
belief in her. It would have been so much easier for him to
hire someone local instead of having to fly me over.
Next he would cast Will Poulter in the pivotal role of
Gally, Thomas nemesis and something of a bully. Gally is
not so much the law-keeper as he is a guy who has a lot of
faith in the rules because, without them, the Gladers will
die. Gally is quick to speak up and challenge Thomas when
those rules arent respected, says the Brit actor, who
starred in the cult UK film, Son Of Rambow, before later
showing off his comic skills in the hit US comedy, Were
The Millers. Its all in the eyebrows, says Ball. Will has
the most amazingly expressive eyebrows, which make
him look very severe when hes actually the nicest, most
humble guy. When FilmInk meets with Poulter, he treats

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EVENTS
380 military road cremorne . ph 9908 4344 . orpheum.com.au
WITHOUT DOUBT
THE GRANDEST
CINEMA IN SYDNEY.
TIME OUT SYDNEY

DIRECTOR, WES BALL: IT WAS THE BOOK THAT

HAD CREATED ALL THESE FANS IN THE FIRST
PLACE, AND I WANTED TO STAY TRUE TO THAT.
us to an impromptu demonstration of his
eyebrow versatility. I call them the devil
eyebrows, he laughs. They go all the
way from goofy to very angry.
Number 2 in The Glade is Newt,
portrayed by Thomas Brodie-Sangster,
whose breakout movie role was eleven
years ago playing the love-struck son
of Liam Neesons character in Love
Actually. Since then, audiences have
grown to know him through his role
on Game Of Thrones, although a lesser
known fact is that he has been the voice
of Ferb in the popular Disney kids TV
series, Phineas And Ferb, for seven years
now. Its been a great job. I dont even
have to go to Los Angeles to do it. I just
pop into a sound studio in South London
every so often, he says.
Assembling the cast including
actors, Aml Ameen, Blake Cooper, and
Ki Hong Lee in rural Louisiana, Ball
put them through boot camp, a kind
of survival training with an eventful
overnight camp-out made unforgettable
by a surprise storm, complete with
thunder and lightning. They learned how
to swing a machete, and roll around in
the mud, says Ball, whose intention
was not so much for them to become
overnight action stars, but more to bond.
They got dirt under their fingernails and,
in the process, became best friends. I
was a Boy Scout growing up, so I knew
that if I put them out there, they would
come back as firm friends. It obviously
worked. We became so close after
that; were all the best of friends now,
says Poulter who, together with the
cast, had gone out for Korean BBQ the
night before their press duties upon
the insistence of Hong Lee. There was
also a lot of drinking beer and watching
TV and cooking involved. It would have
been all wrong if wed gone to the gym
and wound up looking like superheroes,
says OBrien.

A former producer on Twilight, The

Maze Runners co-producer, Wyck
Godfrey, knows a few things about
making a hit franchise. I think of The
Maze Runner as being the first boy
Young Adult book series, although the
reality of that actually means that its
60% female readership and 40% male
because girls are the ones that read. But
even with that split, it still has the most
male readers of all the book series, he
says, pointing out how the first book of
The Maze Runner series has already sold
as many copies as Stephenie Meyers
Twilight had when it was first optioned.
It feels like its all girl protagonists,
whether its Bella or Tris or Katniss,
and this was the only one out there
that I got excited about having a male
protagonist, says the producer, who
believes that The Maze Runner has more
in common with Enders Game than it
does The Hunger Games or Divergent.
Dylan OBrien posits that a large part
of the films appeal is to live in a world
albeit for less than two hours absent
from technology. I can still remember
what it was like to actually get out
there and play as a kid. All of us in our
twenties can remember a pre-internet
world, says the 23-year-old actor. But
I look at my three-year-old cousin, and
hes already on the iPhone playing Angry
Birds. Ultimately, The Maze Runner is
a metaphor for growing up and making
difficult choices, and Wes has done an
incredible job conveying that.
If Wes Balls success can be
measured by anything, then its the
fact that he is catching a flight to New
Mexico immediately after our interview,
prepping for the sequel, which will begin
shooting in October
The Maze Runner is
released on September 18 and
is reviewed on Page 77. n

DIGITAL EXC
LUSIVE

Directors Cut

Photo by Will Ragozzino/Getty Images for Tribeca Film Festival

CRIME

STORY

Director, SCOTT FRANK, brings a classic crime novel to life with the down-and-dirty A WALK
AMONG THE TOMBSTONES, starring Liam Neeson. BY DANNY PEARY

was much happier when I didnt know what I was

doing, director, Scott Frank, laughs to FilmInk on
the New York set of A Walk Among The Tombstones.
Thats the truth! Whereas before I didnt know
the mistakes that I was making until I got into the
cutting room, now I spend all day cataloging my mistakes.
Its much harder! Though experience brings wisdom, it
also brings greater self-awareness, with the second-time
director who made his debut with the richly textured
2007 thriller, The Lookout, after establishing himself as a
top-tier screenwriter with credits like Out Of Sight, Get
Shorty, Little Man Tate, and Minority Report now far
more aware of the bubbling sea of details that filmmakers
can often get caught up in. Not, mind you, that hes
complaining. Im trying to enjoy myself as much as I can,
Frank offers, because the one thing that I remember
with The Lookout was that it was over before I knew it. I
wanted to keep shooting! My last shot of the movie was
[lead actor] Joseph Gordon-Levitt shaving, and we did
about thirty takes, just so I could keep shooting! Im trying
to enjoy myself here while I can.
That enjoyment comes in the face of the bleak, harsh
piece of work that is A Walk Among The Tombstones. Based
upon the 1982 novel by highly regarded crime author,
Lawrence Block, the film features his popular recurring
character, Matt Scudder, a haunted ex-cop turned private
investigator whose battles with the bottle are just as fierce
as those that he has with the worst that New York has to
offer. The star of the books is New York City, says Frank.
There are so many places that you can shoot in New
York, and there are places, believe it or not, where people
havent shot before. You just have to find them. I wanted
to have different angles on the city. I wanted a lonelier city
because Matt Scudder is a lonely guy.
Though the character had been brought to the screen
before in 1986 by Jeff Bridges in Hal Ashbys Eight Million

DIGITAL E

YOU CANT JUST

TURN THE BOOK INTO
A MOVIE. IF YOU DO
THAT, YOU GET A
TRIVIALISED VERSION
OF THE BOOK.

Ways To Die, Scott Frank was

undeterred from mounting
another adaptation, this time
featuring Scudder caught up
in a case involving kidnap,
murder, and New York drug
kingpins. Ive been reading
Larrys books forever, the
director says. Matt Scudder
has history, and a past. Some
of it is very dark, but the books
are never sentimental. None of
Matt Scudders relationships
or friendships are sentimental.
Thats whats really, really
good about the character and Lawrence Blocks books.
This, of course, made the job of adapting A Walk
Among The Tombstones a tricky one. But as hed done
with Elmore Leonards Out Of Sight and Get Shorty, Frank
knew that he had to make the material work for the big
screen. I showed it to Larry, he says of his screenplay.
You want to make decisions, because you cant just turn
the book into a movie. If you do that, you get a trivialised
version of the book. You have to ask yourself, What is the
book about? And what is your version of the book? What
themes in the book are your themes as a screenwriter?
Then you take the book that you love and make it your
movie. Its Larrys book and my movie. There are big
differences between the book and the movie, but in terms
of the character, and the spirit of the book the plot, and
the feel of it Im not just randomly taking it apart. You
hope that youre capturing the feeling of reading the book
while watching the movie, even though its very different.
While Hal Ashby was blessed with Jeff Bridges for Eight
Million Ways To Die, Scott Frank is equally well served by
having Liam Neeson in the central role. You need an actor

who can make you feel that one and one equals three, the
director tells FilmInk. You need to feel that hes not just
realising the part as much as hes adding to it by bringing
his own baggage. Liam is just naturally a very emotional
character. It feels like hes a man whos made all sorts of
choices, some of them good, some of them bad. You feel
that way all by looking at his face. Very few actors can
play afraid and still remain a movie star. He can do that.
Hes not Superman, but he can do both. He can be the CIA
agent in Taken, but he can also be this guy whos wounded
and sad and living in a tiny apartment alone.
So, how has the sophomore director been handling
it? Has he been experiencing the enjoyment that he was
aiming for? Some days, Im more worn out than others.
You caught me on a good day, Scott Frank laughs.
To purchase the Lawrence Block book,
A Walk Among The Tombstones, go here to
https://www.hachette.com.au/books/detail.
page?isbn=9781409147824 n

DIGITAL EXC
LUSIVE

Directors Cut

MADE
BY HAND

Co-directors, ANTHONY STACCHI and GRAHAM ANNABLE (pictured left and right with actor, Nick Frost), work wonders
with the stop motion animated childrens tale, THE BOXTROLLS. BY GILL PRINGLE

hen it comes to the intricacies of putting

together a complex stop motion animated
movie, Laika Studios reckon that two is
better than one. Two directors, that is.
Its a dual process that served them well
on ParaNorman (helmed by Chris Butler and Sam Fell)
two years ago, and now again with their cute monster
movie, The Boxtrolls, co-directed by Graham Annable and
Anthony Stacchi. We divide the work equally between
us, and we meet together every day. Theres a lot of
work to get through, so it makes sense to have two of
us rather than one, Stacchi tells FilmInk when we meet
with the directors at this years Comic-Con.
The film is adapted from Alan Snows lavishly illustrated
childrens book, Here Be Monsters, a story about a young
orphaned boy raised underground by monsters, and
his struggle to protect his adopted home from an evil
pest exterminator. When we first read Alans book, we
immediately knew how we wanted this world to look,
says Annable. We began with the look of the city before
we actually began work on the characters. The great thing
about stop motion is that it gets better as more people get
involved; everybody adds something, and it changes every
step of the way. We have a little bible that shows how every
tiny detail should look, down to each fork and spoon
details that most people would probably never notice.
A story artist on ParaNorman and Coraline, Annable
is well attuned to Laikas particular sensibilities. He sees
Snows book, which is set in a fictional English town,
as a fantastical version of Victorian Londona bizarre
Monty Python version of Oliver Twist. Hes an orphan boy
raised by monsters trying to figure out where he fits in this
world. With preliminary drawings and treatment in place,
the two directors immediately began assembling their
dream cast, comprising Sir Ben Kingsley, Jared Harris, Toni
Collette, Elle Fanning, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, and Isaac
Hempstead-Wright.
With little previous experience on stop motion, Stacchi
brought his own particular set of skills to the table. A co-

DIGITAL E

WE THINK THAT
THE PROCESS OF
MAKING IT IS AS
INSPIRING AS THE
FILMS THEMSELVES.
director on the animated movie, Open Season, he worked
in various creative fields on Spirit: Stallion Of The Cimarron,
Antz, and James And The Giant Peach. In bringing The
Boxtrolls to the screen, Stacchi says that they crossed
a fine line between creating monsters who were both
cute and ugly. Ugly is in the eye of the beholder, he
says. But the story has to be credible, so if youre doing
a story where there are humans who have prejudices
against these creatures because they think that theyre
monsters, then your humans cant be as grotesque as your
monsters. It confuses the audience. With the Boxtrolls, we
wanted them to have these wonky-toothed faces that only
a mother could love but, by the end of the movie, you do
love them once you get to know them.
As the CEO and owner of Laika, and also a key
animator, Travis Knight serves almost as a third director
on the film. Technology can be a democratising thing,
he offers. For animators of my generation, there were
virtually no resources for trying to figure out how to do
stop motion. There were no books about it, and you
couldnt take college classes about it. There was no
internet as a resource, so you had to look at it and try to
somehow figure out how it was done. Theres a lot of trial
and error in your parents basement! But the thing with
technology is that all that information now exists, and

were actually a part of putting that stuff out in terms of

marketing materials and DVDs. This is how we did this! We
want to show the world that this is how this old school
movie magic is made, and we think that the process of
making it is as inspiring as the films themselves, says
Knight, who suggests that aspiring stop motion animators
download free software from the internet, use a webcam,
and figure out how to do it for themselves.
Technology aside, Knight was keen to bring a personal
touch to The Boxtrolls. One of the things that we explore
in the film is the meaning of family, he says. We
look at the intimate connection between parents and
their children, and finding that balance between doing
meaningful work and family. Its a struggle that we, as
fathers, go through all the time. That resonated with us,
and helped inform the character arcs in the film.
Stacchi agrees: [Lead human character] Winnies dad is
very much an absentee father, so she has these daydreams
about the gory details of what the Boxtrolls might do to
the children that they kidnap. She imagines the Boxtrolls
doing it to her own parents because she doesnt get enough
attention. I think that any parent knows how that feels.
The Boxtrolls is released on September 18
and will be reviewed on Page 77. n

Directors Cut

GUNNING
FOR THE TRUTH

n Andrew Niccols 2005 drama, Lord Of War, Nicolas

Cage plays illicit arms dealer, Yuri Orlov, a charming
and devious character who travels the world in private
jets, trades AK-47s for blood diamonds, and gets high
on gunpowder mixed with cocaine. It certainly makes
for an entertaining time at the movies, but as an accurate
portrayal of international gunrunning, it leaves a little to be
desired. Theres this mythic conception of an arms dealer,
says documentary filmmaker, Maxim Pozdorovkin. Theres
this media idea that you could, for example, take a missile
defence system from one country in the dead of night and
sneak it in to another one, which is just ludicrous. Everyone
knows what youre doing. Defence Ministers are signing
the export license! Of course, theres bribery along the way,
but were all so complicit in it, and especially the US and
Russia well, mostly the US in terms of blocking any kind
of arms regulation.
A Russian-born Harvard graduate, Pozdorovkin is best
known for co-directing Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer, which
followed the arrest and trial of the Russian protest rock
band of the same name. His newest documentary, this time
co-directed by American, Tony Gerber, is The Notorious Mr.
Bout, about the life and times of real life weapons trafficker,
Victor Bout. Born in the former Soviet Union, Bout served
as a loose inspiration for Cages fictional Orlov; was the
subject of Douglas Farah and Stephen Brauns book, The
Merchant Of Death; and is currently living-out a 25-year
prison sentence. I was thinking about how you could
do an object history of the AK-47, says Pozdorovkin of
the projects origins. Id filmed a lot of stuff for that, and
as part of doing research on the arms trade, I read The
Merchant Of Death, which I assumed was all correct. Then
when Bout was extradited, I started going to the trial, and
I found out that there was this massive archive of home
movies. It was just perfect.
Blending trial footage and talking head interviews
with snippets of amateur footage shot by Bout himself,
34 FILMINK WWW.FILMINK.COM.AU

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT SHOWING

THIS FILM IS THAT IT MAKES PEOPLE
ARGUE...PEOPLE ARE UNCOMFORTABLE
WITH WHAT IT MAKES THEM FEEL.
Pozdorovkins film presents a far less glamorous portrait
of the arms trade than was seen in Lord Of War. Hes
this goofy entrepreneur, says Pozdorovkin of his subject,
whose life was more paperwork and bureaucracy than it
was smuggling helicopter gunships across borders. Some
people feel uncomfortable that the film humanises him, but
you should humanise everybody, because that becomes a
way of deconstructing these journalistic defaults that we
impose on people, and stories such as this.
Bout was arrested in 2008 via a DEA sting operation
that many, including his trial judge, have suggested
crossed the line into entrapment. Indeed, the doco leaves
the impression that Bouts arrest and conviction for
conspiring to sell weapons to a US-designated terrorist
group ultimately had more to do with media hype and
law enforcement posturing than it did with the crimes that
he allegedly committed. The way that he was brought

down is incredibly problematic, says Pozdorovkin. Hes

no Boy Scout...but who does making him a villain really
serve? I would have no problem if he was tried on specific
charges for things that he was actually doing. But theres
actually not that much research. Its just this information
echo chamber, where the same information keeps getting
repeated. Even the alleged Viktor Bout experts didnt know
that much about him. I was amazed by how little the DEA
knew. They didnt even read the book. They literally googled
Worlds Biggest Arms Dealer.
According to Pozdorovkin, whose personal interest
in found footage and media bias was a natural fit for the
material, the aim of his and Tony Gerbers film was always
to provoke discussion and debate. If you make films about
political subjects right now, you have to grapple with the
media, and with media image construction, and film as a
medium is really good for that, the director asserts. You
can force people to confront their ignorance. What I love
about showing this film is that it makes people argue...
people are uncomfortable with what it makes them feel. I
joke that the DEA doesnt like the film and that Bout doesnt
really like the film, so you stumble into objectivity that way,
he adds with a laugh. Its challenging, because by the end
of the film, a lot of people will sympathise with Victor Bout,
and thats an uncomfortable feeling. It was important to
be honest and not to overstate things. In this story, there
are so many temptations to stretch the truth a little bit
so it becomes sexier. American viewers sometimes feel
guilty about just how much money their government spent
getting this guy who was ultimately just this trophy. He
wasnt a significant target.
The Notorious Mr. Bout will screen
at The Antenna Documentary Film Festival,
which runs in Sydney from October 14-19.
For all screening, ticketing, and venue information,
head to www.antennafestival.org/. n

Photo by Larry Busacca/Getty Images

With his absorbing documentary, THE NOTORIOUS MR. BOUT, Russian-born filmmaker, MAXIM POZDOROVKIN
(pictured left with his co-director, Tony Gerber), pulls back the curtain on the world arms trade. BY TOM CLIFT

Directors Cut

BEHIND
THE MASK
Director, KELLY DOLEN, talks to FilmInk about his new film, JOHN DOE: VIGILANTE, human nature, and Pacific Rim.
BY JOHN NOONAN

he lesson that Ive learnt in this industry is that its

all about print and advertising. You can have the
biggest bucket of shit, but if you spend $30 million
on print and advertising, then youll get enough
people to go and see it. Look at Pacific Rim!
Shy about coming forward is not how youd describe
Australian director, Kelly Dolen. Earlier this year, his thriller,
John Doe: Vigilante, received a cinema release in America
before finally touching down here on local soil this month.
It sounds like it was an eventful period for the film, where
the marketing took a left turn along the way. One of the
events that we went to was a drag race! he laughs.
Three hours out of LA and theres a John Doe: Vigilante
tent and a poster. And Im there thinking, This isnt Fast
and bloody Furious.
Its true. John Doe: Vigilante certainly shares very little
with the juggernaut franchise. Set in Melbourne, its the
tale of the titular John, who is accused of being a brutal
serial killer. The concept has been playing on Dolens
mind since the terrible events of Port Arthur in 1996. I
remember [mass murderer] Martin Bryant being in the
papers the next day, and I thought, How does it get to
that level? he muses. And then I thought, Wouldnt it be
interesting to write a movie from the killers perspective?
Imagine if he took all emotion out of his decision and only
applied logic.
Dolens idea was eventually shaped into a screenplay
by Stephen Coates. In the film, Johns logic is that he only
takes out criminals, particularly repeat offenders who have
been let off due to legal technicalities. To John, hes simply
a vigilante. Does Dolen have a particular stance with
regards to vigilantism? If youd asked me ten years ago, I
would have had a different perspective. Im a father now,
he responds. Ive never had anything bad happen to me,
but I can empathise with people who have. You can give
somebody a chance, but when theyve got two, three, four
36 FILMINK WWW.FILMINK.COM.AU

I THOUGHT, WOULDNT
IT BE INTERESTING TO
WRITE A MOVIE FROM THE
KILLERS PERSPECTIVE?
convictionshow do you look the victims families in the
eye and say, Well, hes got the same rights as you. Well,
what about the next person?
John commits his crimes whilst behind a featureless
mask, which slowly becomes a symbol held up to represent
a dichotomy of opinions amongst the residents of the
city that he calls his stomping ground. Is John a saint
or a sinner? The thing that fascinates me about human
nature is that when something terrible happens, we need
something to identify, Dolen says. After 9/11, we had
Osama Bin Laden. In those brief moments when you dont,
theres this real fear of humanity. Even if its the wrong
person, it doesnt matter to the general populace, as long
as theres something or someone to identify as evil.
Playing John Doe is British actor, Jamie Bamber, known

to many as Lee Adama in Battlestar Galactica, and once

considered for a role as the ultimate vigilante, Batman.
If it had been Tom Cruise or someone, Dolen says, the
reality is that there would be nothing to worry about, or
fear, or indulge, as you know that its a movie. Whereas
with Jamie, youve got a familiar face, but people walk out
and they go, Aw, I think Ive just watched a snuff film.
The films subject matter is sure to polarise those who
see it. Dolen says that hes been careful to ensure that
the movie doesnt take a side in the debate. Calling John
Doe: Vigilante a social commentary, the director has
witnessed audience reactions firsthand at screenings. We
had a 75-year-old lady come out saying, Its about bloody
time a film like this came out, he laughs. But another guy
came up and he was going off on me. How can you make
a film like this? Therell be copycats in the streets! I burst
out laughing. I said, Mate, when was the last time that a
movie got you this riled up?
Amongst the films supporters is SBS anchorman,
George Donikian, who took to Twitter to call it one of the
most important movies ever made. Meanwhile, Romper
Stompers producer, Daniel Scharf, has been flying the
colours from the films early stages. Hed read the script and
said, Whatever you do, dont soft-cock it, Dolen laughs.
He was very happy that we went as hard as we did.
When John Doe: Vigilante is unleashed on Australians,
itll be interesting to see the kind of response that the
film gets, but Dolen would like to remind you that John
Doe: Vigilante is not a happy, friendly movie. It wants
to garner a reaction from you and make you think. Its
supposed to grab you by the neck and yell at you for an
hour-and-a-half. Lets take that as a warning
John Doe: Vigilante is released October 16
and is reviewed on Page 78. n

POINT AND ShOOT

ThE INTERNETS OWN BOY: The Story of Aaron Swartz

Wed 15th October, 7:30pm

Thu 16 October, 7:30pm

Point and Shoot is the unbelievable journey of Matthew

VanDyke, who decides he needs a crash course in
manhood. Armed with his video camera, he sets off on
a Motorcycle Diaries-style adventure. Winding up in
Libya, he forms great friendships that inspire him to join
the rebel army against Gaddafi all the while keeping
his camera rolling.

This timely and inspiring portrait of the Internet

visionary and activist explores how one of the most
promising minds of a generation found himself staring
down the barrel of prosecution by the government.
The Internets Own Boy celebrates a powerful voice
for digital rights and information freedom, tragically
silenced when he ended his life at age 26.

ThE NOTORIOUS MR. BOUT Fri 17 Fri 17

ThE 50 YEAR ARGUMENT

Fri 17 October, 9pm

Saturday 18 October, 2pm

How does legitimate businessman Victor Bout

become the worlds most notorious arms dealer, and
even the subject of a Nicolas Cage action movie? With
unprecedented access to Bouts home movies and the
sting operation that brought him down, The Notorious
Mr. Bout is a surprisingly entertaining portrait of the
man dubbed the Merchant of Death.

Co-directed by Martin Scorsese, The 50 Year

Argument celebrates a half century of The New
York Review of Books. Combining poignant archive
footage and interviews from a cast of exceptional
intellects such as Noam Chomsky, Susan Sontag and
Gore Vidal, the film covers the history and influence
of this legendary journal.

WAITING FOR AUGUST

ThESE hEAThEN DREAMS Fri 17 October,

Sat 18 October, 4:30pm

Sat 18 October, 8pm

Though shes just turned 15, Georgiana has no time for

teenage dreams. After her unemployed mother is forced
to leave their home in Romania to find work, shes left
to take care of her six siblings. Hot Docs winner Waiting
for August is a nuanced and intimate portrait of the
lives of these brave but ultimately vulnerable children.

Australian avant-garde poet and artist Christopher

Barnett burst onto the art scene in the 70s to great
critical acclaim, only to suddenly vanish. Twenty years
on, director Anne Tsoulis journeys to France, to see what
became of Barnetts life, rediscovering one of Australias
most creative and unflinching artists of all time.

MAYSLES BROThERS

LIVE: ChOOSE YOUR OWN DOCUMENTARY

RETROSPECTIVE

Wed 16 & Sat 18 October 7pm

For the first time in Australia, Antenna is proud to

present, a retrospective dedicated to the legendary
documentary filmmakers Albert and David Maysles.
Considered to be pioneers of the Direct Cinema
approach, this retro showcases their most renowned
films Salesman, Grey Gardens and Gimme Shelter.

A forgotten diary falls out of an old Choose Your Own

Adventure book. What would you do? Join the team of
as they embark on an epic quest to find the author of
the diary. But there is a twist. You, the audience, decide
their fate by using remote controls in this interactive
documentary. Choose wisely!

antenna

DOCUMENTARY
FILM
FESTIVAL
You couldnt make this up
SYDNEY 1419 OCT 2014

FULL PROGRAM
NOW ON SALE!
antennafestival.org

Behind The Scenes

LIST OF CREDITS
Gods Of Egypt, The Water Diviner, The Hobbit, Moulin Rouge!,
King Kong, The Piano, The Chronicles Of Narnia, The Great
Gatsby, The Matrix, Babe, Babe: Pig In The City

THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE THE MOVIES

Close Casting Calls

THE ROLES THEY NEARLY PLAYED

ELI WALLACH IN
FROM HERE TO
ETERNITY (1953)
What Happened?
One of Hollywoods greatest ever myths
goes that in the early fifties, singer/actor,
Frank Sinatra then at an absolute low point
in his career used his mafia connections to
force the producers of the 1953 WW2-era
drama, From Here To Eternity, to give him
the plum supporting role of soldier, Angelo
Maggio, a rebellious good time guy who
meets a heartbreaking fate at the hands of
Ernest Borgnines vicious bully, Sgt. Fatso
Judson. Sinatra was brilliant in the role,
which revitalised his career, and scored
him a well-deserved Best Supporting Actor
Oscar. The mafia myth was so pervasive
that it even found its way into the book and
film, The Godfather, with Marlon Brandos
mob boss offering John Marleys Hollywood
executive an offer he couldnt refuse to
cast Al Martinos crooner/actor, Johnny
Fontaine, in a much sought-after war movie.
Though a great rumour, Sinatra allegedly
mobbing his way into From Here To Eternity
has long been discounted as spurious. He
was not one to ask for favours, Nancy
Sinatra said of her father. But later in life,
he found a sense of humour about it.
Though the then not-highly-regarded Sinatra
did have to campaign hard for the role of
Angelo Maggio (even stating that hed do it
for nothing), it was his movie star girlfriend,
Ava Gardner, who proved most helpful, with
the tough talking actress suggesting Sinatra
to Columbia studio head, Harry Cohn, who
liked the idea of getting him at a bargain
basement price. Sinatras casting, however,
was mainly thanks to actor, Eli Wallach, who
had initially nabbed the role. Id promised to
do Tennessee Williams play, Camino Real,
but they couldnt get the money together,
Wallach told The Guardian in 2010, so I
auditioned for From Here To Eternity. I got the
job, but then they found the money for the
play, so I pulled out. Whenever I met Frank
Sinatra afterwards, hed always say to me:
Hello, you crazy actor.
Would It Have Worked?
The brilliant Eli Wallachs Angelo Maggio
would perhaps have been a more comical,
blustery figure, which wouldnt have
matched the martyr-like kick of Sinatras
mighty read on the character. n
38 FILMINK WWW.FILMINK.COM.AU

JODIE MORRISON

(STEPPIN OUT BESPOKE FOOTWEAR):

SHOE DESIGNER
WHAT? Since 1979, Jodie Morrison and Steppin Out have been
providing handmade shoes and unique footwear for film, theatre,
and opera.
WHEN DID YOU FIRST WANT TO GET INTO YOUR
PROFESSION? I was always crafty, and I was working in a
clerical job unhappily when I had the bright idea that I could
become a shoemaker/designer. This was 1975.
STUDY? Its hard to believe now, but in 1976, the TAFE tried to
dissuade me, as there were no women in their courses at The
School Of Footwear in Ultimo. I won a place by having secured a
job in a womens fashion shoe factory, so I was eligible to train
in the Footwear Manufacturing course one day a week for two
years. And also for one night a week, I did Pattern Cutting and
Design for Footwear. After four years, I won a Rotary International
Scholarship for further education and did a year of Design at
Parsons School Of Design in New York City.
FIRST JOB? I set up Steppin Out Bespoke Footwear in 1979,
and had my first shoes on stage at The Nimrod Theatre. I had the
rush of seeing my work being used for performance.

BEST EXPERIENCE? 1993s The Piano. It was great working with

[costume designer] Janet Patterson, who has a love of footwear
and an amazing attention to detail. Also, working with the stunt
team to make the rope around the leg as the piano went into the

Casting Couch

sea was fun. It was also my first on-screen credit. There have been
many moments between then and now. This year, I worked with
[costume designer] Tess Schofield on The Water Diviner, making
very interesting and beautiful shoes. I have also been making the
menswear and stunt shoes for Gods Of Egypt. We also had a lot of
fun working on The Hobbit; there was lots of different scale to work
out. So usually, the most enjoyable jobs are the ones where I have a
chance to show how clever we are at Steppin Out.
MY JOB RULES because I work with a small team who all
share in the desire to do the best job possible.
MY JOB DOESNT RULE BECAUSEon film, the
turnaround time is so quick between getting the design and
realising the footwear that I can forget to have fun.
GREATEST MISCONCEPTION ABOUT YOUR JOB?
People have often wondered why its necessary to make
footwear for film and theatre, thinking that there is all manner
of footwear just in a shop somewhere to be bought, rather than
being made to measure.
DOES SIZE MATTER? BIG BUDGET OR LOW BUDGET? Often
on smaller budget films, if they are having footwear made, it is going
to be seen. Big budget usually means more of everything, with shoes
for stunt doubles and stand-ins, as well as the Hero pairs.

WORDS OF WISDOM There is no longer a School Of Footwear

in Sydney, but RMIT still run a course in Melbourne. Otherwise,
training is hard to come by without travelling to Italy! This makes
it very tricky to get into the industry. One needs to have passion
and a love of making shoes, problem solving, and being part of a
team. Also, you can have no desire to have wealth, but rather, a
very fulfilled life. n

OUR BRAND IS CRISIS

Sandra Bullock will star for director,
David Gordon Green, in this black
comedy about American spin doctors
competing in the same Presidential
election in Bolivia.

YOGA HOSERS
Kevin Smith will direct this supernatural
teen comedy starring his daughter,
Harley Quinn Smith, along with
Johnny Depp, and Depps daughter,
Lily-Rose Depp.

THE JUNGLE BOOK

Benedict Cumberbatch, Christian Bale,
Cate Blanchett, and Eddie Marsan
will do voice work for Andy Serkis
animated adaptation of Rudyard
Kiplings classic novel.

DEEPWATER HORIZON
Mark Wahlberg will star for director,
J.C. Chandor (Margin Call, All Is Lost),
in this true life drama about the tragic
2010 BP oil rig explosion.

The Films That Changed My Life!

THE JAPANESE
FILM FESTIVAL
Unlike Australia, where quality homegrown
films often struggle to make any real
dent on the local box office, Japanese
cinema is thriving in its native country.
And thats not due to the enforcement of
any heavy-handed screen quotas, which
were abolished decades ago. Its due to
the sheer quality of output. In recent
years, Japanese films are having more
and more audience share, Japanese
Film Festival director, Masafumi Konomi,
tells FilmInk. The statistics in 2012 show
that Japanese films now have a majority
of 65.7% for the domestic market, and
almost double the share of foreign films.
The last time that Japanese films cleared
the 60% mark was over forty years ago.
This is not only because of the strength
of Japanese films, but also because of
the stagnation of Hollywood films. These
films lighting up the box office in Japan
will soon be on show in Australia at the
18th Japanese Film Festival, which is
presenting its biggest line-up yet with fifty
titles selected for Sydney and Melbourne.
As for trends in this years programme,
Konomi reveals a strong selection of anime
films. After Hayao Miyazakis retirement
announcement, I want to introduce and
feature other animators of the Japanese
industry there is more to Japanese anime
than Studio Ghibli. And foodies will enjoy
the selection of culinary-inspired cinema
on offer. This year, there are more titles
related to Japanese food such as A Tale
of Samurai Cooking A True Love Story,
Little Forest: Summer/Autumn, and The
God Of Ramen. This trend is universal, but
its particularly evident in Japan because
Washoku [traditional Japanese cuisine]
was recently added to UNESCOs Intangible
Cultural Heritage list. These films round
out a mouth-watering feast of cinema.
The Japanese Film Festival runs in
Adelaide (Oct 10-19), Canberra (Oct1519), Brisbane (Oct 22-26), Perth (Oct
29-Nov 2), Auckland (Nov 6-12), Sydney
(Nov 13-23), and Melbourne (Nov 27Dec 7). For all screening, ticketing,
and venue information, head to
www.japanesefilmfestival.net. n

DAVID ROKACH DIRECTOR: ANTENNA DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL

Documentaries can often be treated as a side event at major film festivals, and aside from a few superstar directors, they play second
fiddle to the drama features, David Rokach, director of this months Antenna Documentary Film Festival, tells FilmInk. But there are so
many wonderful, complex, challenging, and fascinating true stories out there that just wouldnt make it to Australia if not for a dedicated
event. By showing the huge breadth of styles across documentary in one event, we can banish forever the outdated idea of the worthy
but boring doco. Just after signing off on the programme for this months doco festival, Rokach reveals the films that changed his
lifeand not surprisingly, theyre all steeped in the grit of real life.
NAKED (1993) A dark philosophical
comedy that takes us into the disturbing
and dysfunctional world of Johnny whos
almost a representation of Thatchers
broken Britain. Naked is Mike Leighs best
andmost radical film, with an amazing
performance from David Thewlis.
SHORT CUTS (1993) Robert Altmans
masterpiece connects nine different
stories, almost like a cinematic symphony.
Its a complex, intelligent human comedy,
which is both grim andabsurd in equal
measure, yet always fun to watch.
MAN WITH A MOVIE CAMERA (1929)
A film that defined documentary cinema as
an art form, its one of the most innovative
films in the history of cinema. Dziga
Vertovs film playfully reminds us how far
non-fiction cinema manipulates reality.
CLOSE-UP (1990) Like all great films,
Abbas Kiarostamis Close-Up has a brilliant
story at the heart of it, with fascinating
characters, and is wonderfully told. What
stands out, however, is its humanistic

approach: its an intellectual investigation

oncinema at the same time as a moving
look and reflection about life itself.
THE SOPRANOS (1999-2007) On a
deep level, David Chases The Sopranos
deconstructed almost every aspect of
our life: society, psychology, identity,
gender politics, love, hate, greed, lust,
power, loyaltyit was perhaps more
cinematic,compelling, and intelligent than
most films.
TITICUT FOLLIES (1967) Its one of
the strongest and most provocative films to
demonstrate the power of the Direct Cinema
movement, and shows the importance of
documentary as a reflection on the world
that we live in by exposing usto the dark
and hidden forces of our society.
KES (1969) Kes reveals Ken Loachs ability
to find the extraordinary through ordinary
lives.With non-actors and an improvised
and unpredictable narrative style, its a
funny, sad, and above all else, achingly
authentic pieceof British social realism.

DIVORCE IRANIAN STYLE (1998)

Divorce Iranian Style is one of Kim
Longinottos greatest films, but I could have
chosen (almost) any other documentary
by Longinotto. For the complexity, the
empathy, the humour,the respect, and the
excellent storytelling.
SALESMAN (1969) One of the greatest
documentaries of all time, and it will be
screened at this years festival as part of a
retrospective dedicated to the work of The
Maysles Brothers.
PARIS IS BURNING (1990) A colourful,
fascinating, in-depth exploration of the
underground queer culture in the poor
Afro-American community in New
Yorkduring the eighties.
Antenna Documentary Film Festival
screens in Sydney from October
14-19. For all ticketing, venue,
and screening information, head to
www.antennafestival.org. n

The Japanese Film Festival: Highlight

Lady Maiko directed by Masayuki Suo is one of the most interesting films this
year, Japanese Film Festival director, Masafumi Konomi, tells FilmInk. Its a variation
of My Fair Lady. This gorgeous musical showcases the traditional richness of Japanese
culture in Kyoto. Its a must-see film! I also personally like Pecoross Mother And Her
Days, which was chosen as the Best Film of 2013 in Kinema Jumpo, the oldest and
most prestigious film magazine in Japan. The 87th Kinema Jumpo Awards are selected
by a committee consisting of 100 film critics and journalists. The theme of this film
centres on nursing care and dementia, a serious social issue in Japan due to an ageing
population that is advancing rapidly. The director, Azuma Morisaki, is now the oldest
active film director in Japan at the age of 85, and hes crafted a film full of humour
and sweet sorrow. I must recommend two other excellent films, The Light Shines Only
There and My Man. Both have been well received internationally. n

WWW.FILMINK.COM.AU FILMINK 39

HE CARVES
UP THE FILMS
YOU LOVE!

They Should Make A Movie Of That!

INGLOURIOUS
BASTERDS
I hope to give you at least fifteen more
years of movies, writer/director, Quentin
Tarantino, said back in 2005. Im not going
to be this old guy that keeps cranking
them out. My plan is to have a theatre by
that time in some small town, and I will be
the managerthis crazy old movie guy.
Damn! That means weve got six more
years of hokey, hipster-sating crap from
this perennial pain in the arse. He might be
loved by the too-cool-for-school crowd, and
deified for his apparently encyclopaedic
knowledge of film, but Quentin Tarantino
has been tossing up crap since he debuted
with Reservoir Dogs, which was somehow
praised for its brilliant dialogue even
though it boasted more shitty, smugfaced one-liners than Tango & Cash.
With films like Kill Bill and Pulp Fiction,
Tarantino continued to pump out gussiedup exploitation flicks, but it was when he
turned his attentions to the real world that
he was really shown up for the immature,
unsophisticated fantasist that he truly
is. His tedious, overlong WW2 epic,
Inglourious Basterds, is filled with Tarantino
trademarks (movie references; long, boring
scenes where people just talk and talk;
Bet365 sellout, Samuel L. Jackson), but
in applying them to an actual historical
setting (you know, with Nazis and stuff),
theyre revealed to be utterly hollow and
self-serving. And as for the films climax (in
which a big bunch of bad boys from The
Third Reich, including heavy hitter, Joseph
Goebbels, and top banana, Adolf Hitler, are
eviscerated by flames and bullets), well,
it feels like little more than the desperate
fantasies of a teenage boy who has
dreamed about how cool it would have
been to wipe out the Nazis after learning
about them in history class. Yes, its a
more-than-honourable fantasy, but when its
played out with such crowd-pleasing glee in
a major motion picture, it just feels puerile
and self-satisfyingkind of like Quentin
Tarantino himself. n
40 FILMINK WWW.FILMINK.COM.AU

TO THE WHITE SEA BY JAMES DICKEY

WHATS IT ABOUT? The third and
final published novel by James Dickey
most famous for his 1970 tome,
Deliverance, which was unforgettably
filmed by John Boorman in 1972 To
The White Sea is notorious for its status
as a lost project for Joel & Ethan
Coen, who had started work on their
abandoned film adaptation in 2001,
with Brad Pitt set to star. Well, it might
have escaped The Coen Brothers, but
To The White Sea would still make for
a great slab of cinematic suspense.
Set in WW2, the novel is seen wholly
through the lens of the hard-bitten
Sergeant Muldrow, a B-29 tail gunner
whose plane is shot down over Tokyo
just before The US Air Force begins a
comprehensive, obliterating firebombing
campaign on the Japanese city. After
bailing out and landing safely, the quickthinking Muldrow hides in a sewer
pipe until the bombing starts, and then
uses the ensuing chaos to get out of
Tokyo, with the goal of pushing north
to Hokkaido, the cold, icy, sparsely
populated northern island of Japan.
Giving up on any chance of being
rescued, the Alaskan-raised Muldrow
believes that employing his expansive

Casting Couch

survival skills in the snows of Hokkaido

are his best hope of staying alive until
the war ends. But first, he has to get
there. Armed only with a stolen breadand-butter knife that he sharpens to a
razors edge, Muldrow then snakes his
way through hostile Japan, leaving a
string of corpses along the way.
WHY WOULD IT MAKE A GOOD
MOVIE? Chilling and absorbing, To The
White Sea would make for a gripping
tale of survival. The journey of the
deeply complex Muldrow becomes
nothing short of an odyssey, as the
desperate soldier hops a logging train;
comes across a monastery of Zen
Buddhists; drives a truck in a Japanese
Army convoy; and stays in a primitive
village, amongst other darkly picaresque
moments on his push north. Gruelling
and often cruelly, apocalyptically violent,
Muldrows long march and slow
regression back to an almost primal
state is epic in scope and thought
provoking in its amorality.

would be a perfect fit for the great

Terrence Malick (The Thin Red Line),
who would also likely make great use of
James Dickeys first-person, acid-harsh
prose in forming a voiceover narration,
particularly as there is so little actual
dialogue throughout the story. He might
also stave off a little of Muldrows
extreme bloodletting, without
bowdlerising James Dickeys crimsonstreaked, often gruesome tale.

WHO SHOULD DIRECT IT? With

Joel & Ethan Coen out of the picture,
the storys man-in-the-wild themes

WHO SHOULD BE IN IT? With the

compelling one-man-show, Locke,
charismatic British actor, Tom Hardy,
has already proven that he can hold
a film literally on his own, and as the
isolated, predatory, and singularly
vicious Sergeant Muldrow, he could do
it again. Very minor supporting roles,
meanwhile, could go to Sean Penn (as
Muldrows hard-as-nails father, seen
in flashback, teaching his young son to
survive in Alaskas frozen wastes); Alec
Baldwin (as the poetically foul-mouthed
Wing Commander who sends Muldrow
and his crew on their mission); and
Ken Takakura (as an old Japanese
warrior that Muldrow encounters on his
journey). Erin Free n

AMITYVILLE: THE AWAKENING

Jennifer Jason Leigh, Cameron
Monaghan, and Bella Thorne will star
for director, Franck Khalfoun (Maniac),
in this prequel to the scare-fest, The
Amityville Horror.

MEADOWLAND
Olivia Wilde, Luke Wilson, Elisabeth
Moss, Giovanni Ribisi, Juno Temple, and
Natasha Lyonne will star in this drama
about a married couple dealing with the
death of their son.

MACK BOLAN
The eponymous soldier-turned-vigilante
created by author, Don Pendleton,
will be brought to the screen by The
Hangover director, Todd Phillips, and
star, Bradley Cooper.

MARY SHELLEYS MONSTER

Sophie Turner (Game Of Thrones),
Jeremy Irvine (The Railway Man)
and Taissa Farmiga will headline this
unconventional biopic on Frankenstein
author, Mary Shelley.

Cinema On The Fringe

Controversy Corner
THE FILMS THAT STARTED A FIRE

COME AND SEE

(1985)
People dont know about Belorussia, even
though more than 600 villages were burned
there, Russian director, Elem Klimov,
said of the WW2 atrocities that inspired
his 1985 film, Come And See. I perfectly
understood that the film would end up a
harsh one. I understood that this would be
a very brutal film, and that it was unlikely
that people would be able to watch it. I
told this to my screenplay co-author, Ales
Adamovich. But he replied, Let them not
watch it, then. This is something that
we must leave after us, as evidence of
war, and as a plea for peace. Singularly
uncompromising and utterly relentless
in its depiction of the horrors of war,
Come And See which follows teenage
village boy, Flyora (first-time actor, Aleksei
Kravchenko), who is thrust into a series
of increasingly nightmarish situations
as the Nazis roll through Russia was
controversial right from the outset. For
many years, Russias State Committee
For Cinematography would not accept
the screenplay, considering it propaganda
for the aesthetics of dirtiness and
naturalism. Once the project was finally
sanctioned, Klimov put into practice a
number of risky ideas during filming, most
notably opting to use live ammunition in the
films battle scenes. He also almost caused
irreparable physical and psychological
damage to his young leading man. I
underwent the most debilitating fatigue
and hunger, Aleksey Kravchenko said in
a retrospective interview. I kept a most
severe diet, and after the filming was
over, I returned to school not only thin, but
grey-haired. Once released, the violence
and intensity of Come And See became
instantly legendary, with ambulances even
called to some cinemas to tend to audience
members sent whirling into shock by the
ugly immediacy of the films themes and
imagery. The critics raved, and Come And
See remains one of the most shocking and
controversial films ever made. Klimovs
astonishing war movie combines intense
lyricism with the kind of violent bloodletting
that would make even Sam Peckinpah
pause, wrote Geoffrey Macnab in Sight
And Sound. n

TOUCH ME, IM SICK

The new video installation, TOUCH ME, IM SICK by AMANDA WOLF at STRANGE
NEIGHBOUR, is set to push the boundaries. BY JACK SARGEANT
Based in Melbournes Fitzroy, Strange Neighbour is an
independently run gallery and photographic facility (including
darkroom) that has just celebrated its first year of operation.
Gallery director, Linsey Gosper, has presided over a number of
excellent multi-disciplinary, sculpture, and fine art exhibitions
curated by the gallery, and numerous curators working under
the gallerys curator-led model. While the themes of the various
shows have varied, there is an ongoing engagement with themes
of light and dark.
Although video pieces have been included in previous
exhibitions, Strange Neighbour is now embracing a larger video
exhibition by Brisbane artist, Amanda Wolf. Luridly coloured
ritualistic performances, Wolfs previous works include the
video, The Cesspool, in which a number of garishly costumed
figures writhe on the ground in quasi-ritualistic celebration. These
figures their bodies painted in bold, pop art-influenced colours,
and their heads encased in gigantic head-dresses and masks
maintain the appearance of exotic space creatures or strange
fetishists. The emphasis on the sheer volume of colour, and the
broadly repetitive movements of the performers, creates an
atmosphere that plays like a cross between an anthropological
capturing of some strange initiation, a psychedelic
documentation of a happening, and a hyperdelic Jack Smith film.
Other works by the artist see figures wrapped in strange,
balloon-like rubber outfits, nursing mutant masks with insectlike mouths from which spew streamers, or erotically rubbing
their backs against the wall while their bodies are encased in
bizarre luminous-red flesh rubber suits (complete with nipples
that resemble the giant plugs on waterbeds). It is unsurprising
that Wolfs previous exhibition, Peepshow/Creepshow, at The
Hold Artspace in Brisbane, was described as a combination of

Casting Couch

a fantasyland of hand-sewn soft sculpture and gimp porn. The

handmade, the kitsch, and the bizarre dominates her work.
Wolf has helped to reinvigorate video art, and suggests new
possibilities for the medium.
Exactly what Wolf has planned for her exhibition suitably
entitled Touch Me, Im Sick at Strange Neighbour has yet to
be revealed, but with her ongoing exploration of quasi-ritualistic
behaviours and vividly clad creatures, the show promises to be
a fascinating combination of the fetishistic and ritualistic. Gosper
confesses to being very excited for the gallery to be presenting
their first interstate solo exhibition, and the show promises to put
the gallery further on the map. Opening on September 12 and
running till October 4, Touch Me, Im Sick promises to be exactly
the sort of strange, playful work that demands to be seen.
For more information, head to
www.strangeneighbour.com. n

CHRISTMAS EVE
Lizzy Caplan, Joseph Gordon-Levitt,
Seth Rogen, and Anthony Mackie
will star in this comedy about three
childhood friends who meet for an
annual Christmas Eve reunion.

THE SECRET SCRIPTURE

Rooney Mara, Jeremy Irons, Eric
Bana, Theo James, Jack Reynor, and
Vanessa Redgrave will star in this
adaptation of Sebastian Barrys 2008
novel.

SOUTHPAW
Jake Gyllenhaal and Naomie Harris
will headline this Antoine Fuquahelmed drama about a boxer whose
personal life is falling apart despite his
professional success.

THE FINEST HOURS

Aussie-born Craig Gillespie (Lars And
The Real Girl, Fright Night) will direct
Chris Pine and Casey Affleck in this
fifties-set action thriller based around
The US Coast Guard.

WWW.FILMINK.COM.AU FILMINK 41

ALL AUSTRALIAN. NEWS. PREVIEWS. INTERVIEWS.

LETS TALK
ABOUT SEX
Busy comic actor, JOSH LAWSON, makes his debut behind the camera with THE LITTLE DEATH, a
bittersweet, thought provoking comedy about five couples who have more than a few sexual skeletons
rattling away in their cupboards. BY CARA NASH

dont think weve ever done a good adult sex comedy in

this country, Josh Lawson proclaims to FilmInk. We
havent ticked that box, and its a gap that needs filling
pardon the pun! Well, Lawson has certainly filled the
gap with his superb directorial debut, The Little Death,
a dark comedy which delves into the secret sex lives of a
neighbourhood of relatable folk. The film relays the hilarious
and occasionally heartbreaking lengths that people will go to
in order to reach that moment of ecstasy referenced in the
title. The Little Death is the English translation of la petite
mort, the French euphemism for orgasm.
The film, which Lawson wrote, directed and stars in,
has been a true labour of love for the popular comedic star.
Its a screenplay that the actor-turned-filmmaker has been
quietly writing and rewriting for the past six years, while his
international profile has soared, with roles in the acclaimed
US series, House Of Lies, and memorable supporting turns
in comedies like The Campaign and Anchorman 2. And those
six years have proven a very sound investment, as The Little
Death which Lawson returned home to shoot in Sydney
is perhaps the best thing that hes put his name to yet.
And its no surprise that Lawson is literally buzzing warm,
enthused, and speaking in a fast stream of words when
we catch him on the phone just after the film premiered to
a dream reception at this years Sydney Film Festival.
Its really not an exaggeration when Lawson says that
The Little Death is a story that hasnt graced our screens
before. As its title suggests, it brings sex out into the open.
Sex is the subject that we would all rather be talking
about! Lawson laughs. At any dinner party after a bottle
or two of wine, its what we end up talking about always!
Its what were all thinking about. Yes, its a bit naughty and
a bit risqu, but it makes the best stories sex is where we
are at our most vulnerable, honest and embarrassing, and
thats where drama is. We cant pretend to be cool when
were having sex. Were just naked bodies bumping into
each other. Thats funny and beautiful and dramatic.
Coincidentally, it was at a dinner party where the initial
spark for The Little Death was lit. After a few bottles of
wine, this girl confessed to having a rape fantasy, Lawson
recalls. I was so fascinated by it, and had so many
questions that I researched it, and in researching it, I was
convinced that this was something that needed to be on
film. It was a story that Id never seen told before the real
exploration into a fetish.
Thus, Lawson dove headfirst into researching the bizarre
and intriguing world of sex fetishes, which would form
42
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the backbone of his script. The resulting screenplay pulls

back the curtain on the love lives of five couples, each
with a different fetish, including a woman (Kate Box) who
is aroused by her partner (Patrick Brammall) crying, and a
man (Damon Herriman) who becomes a little too involved
in role-playing. It was a lot of online research, Lawson
says about doing his homework. I spoke to people, and
I researched case studies and went to fetish clubs. But I
chose the fetishes that I did specifically because in order to
fulfil them, they needed planning; you couldnt do it in the
spur of the moment. Role-play is an interesting example
because you need to talk about it and plan it, particularly if
youre dressing up. You have to go out and buy that stuff,
so sex suddenly stops being spontaneous, and it starts
becoming tactical. It was fun researching each fetish, and
then imagining how I would fulfil it!
Perhaps the most confronting fetish comes when Bojana
Novakovics Maeve reveals to her partner, Lawsons Paul, that
her secret fantasy is to be raped. Its certainly brave humour
that pushes the envelope, but its also surprisingly tender. I
love that story so much because theyre so honest with each
other, and theyre so in love, Lawson says, but they dont

quite connect on that one thing. Thats why that story is so

beautiful, even though we take the issue very seriously, and
you do get worried at one point! He is so desperately trying to
please the woman that he loves probably a little too hard!
Theres a real beauty and romance to that. The film definitely
makes a strong comment about honesty and communication.
Its the characters who are honest with each other who stand
the best chance at the end of the film.
Strip away the fetishes though, and Lawson has crafted
a candid but also complex and compelling conversation
about sex, relationships, love, and morals. What is the film
about really? Lawson reflects. Its easy to say that the film
is about fetishes, but I dont know if it is actually. The trick is
that we use fetishes as an in, but the films actually about
relationships, and how funny they are, and how complicated
they are. One of my favourite lines in the film is when Kate
Mulvanys character says to Damon Herrimans character
that she wants to tell him something important, and hes
distracted watching TV. She says, I love you and he goes,
How is that important? I love that line because its so
banal and trivial, but its so true! Its what the film is about.
Theres this great quote by the French playwright, Jean

WE CANT PRETEND TO BE COOL

WHEN WERE HAVING SEX. WERE
JUST NAKED BODIES BUMPING
INTO EACH OTHER. THATS FUNNY
AND BEAUTIFUL AND DRAMATIC.
Anouilh, who says, There is love
of course. And then theres life, its
enemy. Its a beautiful quote love is
great, and it would be amazing if love
was enough, but its ultimately not,
because life is so complicated.
As outrageous as things play,
however, the storytelling always feels
grounded and true, and a large part
of that is owing to the casting, with
Lawson recruiting a handful of his own
friends, including Damon Herriman and
Kate Mulvany, who signed onto the
film when it was in its earliest stages.
Im intensely proud that the couples
feel real, Lawson says. You know
how often you see couples in movies
or TV and you dont believe that theyre
together, or right for each other? But in
this, I really believe that the couples are
together, even though they struggle.
Thats just testament to the acting. A
lot of those guys are my friends, and
theyre amazing. Damon and Kate were
the first people who came on board. We
rehearsed it and developed it in their
living rooms over the years, so to finally
see it up on the big screen is wonderful.
Its been a true passion project for
Lawson, who admits that part of the
six-year journey to get it to screen was
due to the films challenging pitch.
Fortunately, Lawson found a partner
in Ticket To Ride, a savvy new local
production company which aims to utilise
various financial offsets and partnerships
to produce high concept, low budget
Australian films. Lawsons film was a
perfect fit. It certainly didnt help that I
was a first time director as well, Lawson
concedes. A lot of people didnt quite
understand the tone that I was going for.
Its a tough tone to get across. Over the
years, people were like, I love this film.

I get it. But other people went, I dont

quite understand it. They would ask,
What movie is it like? and I would have
to say Thats the problem, its not like
any film, and thats why I want to make
it! I didnt want this to be derivative of
anything. I wanted it to be surprising.
While it may have been Lawsons
directorial debut, there were no first day
jitters on set. Ive been sitting with this
story for such a long time that Id filmed it
in my head many times, Lawson laughs. I
knew what I wanted, and that helped a lot.
Because I didnt have a lot of time to shoot,
the actors, crew, and I were so prepared.
There was no time for nerves. Id wanted
to do it for so long, and it was brilliant. Ive
been acting now for a frighteningly long
time Ive had an agent since I was nineyears-old and in the past ten years, Ive
had my eye on directing. Ive worked with
incredible directors Jay Roach, Adam
McKay, and Rob Sitch and Ive watched
them all very closely! I watched them
knowing that this was hopefully on my
horizon, so by the time that I got to filming,
I was able to poach all the best bits from
these excellent directors, and use them to
my advantage.
Lawson has certainly done that, but
hes also created something impressively
unique in the process. And his end goal is
certainly a noble one. Hopefully, the film
gets you talking, Lawson says. I want
people to be driving home with their
partners and, after a moment of silence,
turn to the other and go, Hey, so whats
your fetish? I would love this film to help
Australia have better and more creative
sex. That would be awesome.
The Little Death is released on
September 18 and is reviewed
on Page 75. n

Available in stores now on Blu Ray

*While stocks Last

FAT PIZZA VS.

HOUSOS: ROCKIN
THE SUBURBS

Writer/director/star, PAUL FENECH, and actress, ELLE DAWE, deliver a double shot of in-your-face Aussie comedy with
FAT PIZZA VS. HOUSOS. BY BYRON STRUCK

m surprised that they even put it on! says Paul Paulie

Fenech when asked about the continued success of
TVs Pizza and its related shows. Fat Pizza Vs. Housos
is the latest serving on the Pizza menu, which will see
the cast of Pizza squaring off against the Housos crew,
in what is sure to be a riotous comedy of big and cheesy
proportions. Pizza was one kind of style, and Housos is a
completely different kind of style, so its been interesting
seeing how theyre merging. Theyre comedy versions of
familiar faces if they werent, people wouldnt watch it.
No one wants to watch irrelevant comedy or characters.
Thats the whole secret of anyones screen charisma;
theyve gotta cut through to you in some way, and when
youre doing this kind of comedy, part of it is finding the
Shazzas and the Bobos and the stooges that you see in
regular society, and then exaggerating them like crazy.
FilmInk visited the set of Fat Pizza Vs. Housos,
and witnessed firsthand how those characters are
exaggerated. One scene in particular involving Housos
regular, Elle Dawe (aka Shazza), confronting Centerlink
case worker, Renzo, is sure to bring plenty of laughs.
Shazza is honest, says Elle. Everyones got a mother
or an aunt like that. She says what she wants without

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worrying about hurting peoples feelings. Shes very

matriarchal, and is looking to protect her family as best
she can. Most of the criticism that the show gets is from
people who havent been in that situation. The people that
we portray, they get it. The Australian bogan is so unique
and different. Theyre genuine, loveable types of people
who push to a limit that other people cant accept.
According to Fenech, longtime fans of the Pizza related
shows are in for a few surprises in the upcoming film.
Bobo moves to Sunnyvale. The Housos dont like the Fat
Pizza shop, and theres a war! There are a few cameos
Kyle Sandilands, Angry Anderson, Brendan Jones and
its like the best of the early days of Fat Pizza meeting
Housos. Everything that you like about the original series
is there, plus a whole bunch of new, original stuff as well.
Theres the return of Sleek The Elite, because I got sick
of every stooge asking, Whens Sleek The Elite coming
back? Whens Pizza coming back? So we thought, Well
give them what they want. Theyve been such awesome
watchers over the years, and thats the way that I like
to make stuff. Obviously, I make stuff that I like, but if
youre not listening to the people that youre making stuff
for, then you might as well get out of entertainment. Its

all about your audience. Thats the way that I look at it.
Thats probably one of the reasons why weve lasted
longer, because we listen to the people who watch us
and care about us. Thats the difference between us and
other comedy teams; theyre completely insular from their
audience. Thats the biggest mistake. If youre not reading
what theyre into or what theyre not into, youll die a
miserable comedy death with no one coming to care!
As one of the last forms of truly outrageous comedy
in mainstream Australian entertainment, Paul Fenech
speaks candidly about Pizza and Housos local focus. You
could do different versions of it around the world, but its
a particular sense of humour that we haveits uniquely
Australian, he says. With some of the black humour,
other countries would be too politically correct to do it
itd be out of bounds. Were actually blessed with a great
sense of humour here, which is very cool.
Fat Pizza Vs. Housos will be released
on November 27. n

THE OTHER CHERNOBYL

Director, KIMBERLEY HAWRYLUK, and cinematographer, SCOTT CHRISMAN, give a voice to the crippled generation of an
atomic cover-up with their documentary, THE POLYGON. BY DANIELLE MUIR

he Soviet regime was such that it took the people

who were being tested on a while to experience
the effects of the mushroom clouds. They were
probably in awe of those explosions thinking that
this was Soviet might, and that it was amazing that they
could now protect their country. They didnt know that
radioactive fallout was raining down on them.
The Polygon nuclear disaster is on par with Chernobyl or
Fukushima. After forty years of nuclear tests, the community
of a small Kazakh village are now feeling the after effects
of radiation exposure cancer, suicide, birth defects, and
infected soils wrack the community whilst the government
washes their hands of the tragedy.
Upon hearing of the plight of the Kazakh villagers on a
chance plane flight, Gold Coast-born actress turned director,

isa
2015

APPLICATIONS
NOW OPEN...

Kimberley Hawryluk (formerly Joseph), was shocked that

the nuclear site had received no media attention, and had
forgone the public outrage that goes hand-in-hand with
atomic fallout. Even more frustrating was that the Kazakh
government is wealthy, and could be doing so much for these
people, and theyre not. Pitching the documentary to an
amazing benefactor at a 2007 UN event, Hawryluk secured
funding, and embarked on a six-year journey to bring her first
directorial effort, The Polygon, to fruition a film that doesnt
shame the wealthy government, but inspires them to help.
After a few years of solo visits and research, the main
skeleton crew of four, including Hawryluks partner and
cinematographer, Scott Chrisman, ventured to Kazakhstan
to complete the main block of shooting. The team didnt run
into any government interference, but threats of radiation,

language barriers, time constraints, and the difficulty

inherent in coaxing answers out of scared villagers (with
the Soviet hangover still looming after forty years) made
the shoot challenging. A firm headspace of sticking to the
mission at hand meant that they were able to capture
incredible footage with minimal resources.
At times, the shoot proved gruelling. We were on our feet
all day, carrying our gear, says Scott Chrisman. We were in
and out of cars, and even in zones where you arent allowed to
stay for more than three hours because you can get sick from
the radiation. Not only were they pushed for time, but they
had to detach themselves from the horrors that they were
documenting in order to stay on schedule and on point, which
was a particular challenge for Chrisman. When youre filming
things like rows and rows of mutated foetuses, you can lose
focus, he says. You can get emotional, and distracted.
After multiple edits, Hawryluk and Chrisman arrived at
a running time of fifty minutes by accounting for audience
fatigue at the heavy subject matter, and ensuring that
the focus was brought back on the villagers rather than
involving themselves too prominently. We wanted to
create a film that was engaging and informative, and that
didnt leave people feeling too emotionally exhausted, says
Hawryluk. The film could have been two hours, but in the
end, you have to choose whats most effective and most
empowering for the villagers. There are so many options
and platforms for documentaries these days, so well see
what feels right for the film in terms of a release. We really
want to get back to the villages surrounding the test site,
and show the film there too!
For more information,
head to www.thepolygonfilm.com. n

M
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DONT MISS OUT
FI
ANIM
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SCR
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ww.isasydney.com.au
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ISA students become expert storytellers.

Graduate being masters of your art:
SCREEN ACTING | FILM | ANIMATION
RTO: 40725 CRICOS NO: 03361F

NEW FACE

BIGTIME
Busy young stage and screen actor, JOSH McCONVILLE, gets caught in a
time warp of his own making in the sci-fi romance, THE INFINITE MAN.
BY CARA NASH

The Infinite Man is released on September 18

and is reviewed on Page 75. n

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Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images

had no real plans after graduating I just wanted to work, Josh

McConville tells FilmInk regarding his ambitions after completing his
stint at NIDA in 2008. Six years on from the famed acting school, and
McConville has done more than merely earn his keep. The talented
28-year-old has quickly become one of the most in-demand young
stage actors in the country, with an enviable list of theatre credits
that include the hard-hitting The Boys, the hilarious Noises Off,
two classics in the form of Death Of A Salesman and King Lear,
and the acclaimed Gross Und Klein opposite Cate Blanchett.
Touring Europe with Cate has to be up there, McConville
says when asked to pick his career highlights thus far.
Noises Off and The Boys were very rewarding too.
And after a string of short films and supporting screen
roles (including a soulful turn as Hugo Weavings son in
the David Wenham-directed segment of the Tim Winton
omnibus film, The Turning), McConville has just headlined
his first feature in Hugh Sullivans time travel romance,
The Infinite Man, which has picked up rave reviews
on the festival circuit. McConville plays insecure but
inventive young scientist, Dean, who attempts to win
back his girlfriend, Lana (Hannah Marshall), by literally
reliving a perfect weekend getaway. Suffice to say,
the time travel scheme doesnt go as planned. I was
quite perplexed upon my first read of the script, the
actor laughs, but luckily, Hugh set aside a week of
rehearsals for us to draw diagrams and really nut out
the logistics. It all made a lot more sense being on
location too, and having an abandoned motel to
play around in.
A truly crackling showcase for McConvilles
talents, the smart, innovative screenplay sees Deans
plan complicated not only by his girlfriend, Lana,
becoming stuck in a recurring temporal loop, but also
by a spiral of multiple Deans emerging, each one
in competition with the next. It was challenging,
McConville laughs about being his own co-star.
In one scene, I would be playing Dean #1, and in
the next scene, I would be playing Dean #4 in the
future. Each Dean had his own particular trait, which
made it easier, and Hugh always had the answers.
If I was ever in doubt, Id just ask him. At times, I
would be acting with myself running lines in my head
and responding out loud. It was definitely an exciting
experience.
Despite a clever and complex script, the film finds its
heart in Dean, a man full of sympathetic contradictions
hes brilliant and loving, but hes also a control freak
crippled by self-doubt. Hes a character that one feels
infinite empathy toward. I felt a very strong connection
with Dean, McConville says. His hopelessness
and consistent pursuit of happiness and perfection is
something that we can all relate to in some way.

A 257 PART SERIES

WHATS WRONG WITH THE AUSTRALIAN

PART 162: THE NON-ABRAHAM LINCOLNS

FILM INDUSTRY!?
independent or useful opinion. Its always
nice to be told that youre wonderful, but
if thats all that your hear, and if the only
people that you listen to are enablers, then
you cease to have anything worthwhile to
contribute to the world creatively.

Jerry Lewis once said that Hollywood wouldnt

be Hollywood if it was full of Abraham
Lincolns; it was the brown-nosers, bottom
feeders, and suck-ups who helped make the
place what it is. The Australian film industry
is a long way from Hollywood, but there are
plenty of non-Abes around. Whats more,
theyre ruining our film industry. How? Ill tell
youby listing some of the main types.
BEAUTIFUL YOUNG THINGS
Visit most production companies, film sets,
and funding offices, and youll find at least
one Beautiful Young Thing (BYT) hanging
around male or female, barely out of their
teens, clueless, hopeless, occasionally
charming, genetically blessed. Its hard for
normal people to break into the industry, but
not BYTs they always get picked up straight
away after graduating from whatever useless
communications degree theyve gotten, then
underperform at their glamorous job under the
doting, forgiving eye of the superior who wants
to hump them, and make life hard for their
competent colleagues who have to pick up their
slack. The good news is that BYTs always get
found out in the long run, and never have long
careers; the bad news is that they do a lot of
damage until that time.
CULTURAL CRINGERS
Part of the reason that we had an Australian film industry
was to help reduce cultural cringe, and to a large degree,
it didwith the general public. Amongst the Australian
industry itself, though, the cringe is bigger than ever:
theres the belief that we make nothing but crap, unlike
America, and its an international ecosystem now, so we
should do films in American accents like The Great Gatsby
and Daybreakersyes, theyre good films, but theyve
been made with taxpayer money that should go to telling
Australian stories in Australian voices, not American ones.
And the fact that theyre made with Australian crews and
post-production facilities and actors is impressive, but its
not the same thing, sorry. I am completely sympathetic to

FREE PASSERS
Some people in the Australian industry
always seem to be copping it: Baz,
Rusty, soap stars, whoever happens to
be running Screen Australia. Others get
free passes, and come off scot free. Like
Lachlan Murdoch, whose career is littered
with disasters (One Tel, Super League,
Channel Ten), but who is now set to take
over News Corp, and people just accept it,
Prince Joffrey style, because no one wants
to annoy his dad. I dont blame Lachlan for
what he does he tries, and you can only
ever do your best but I do blame people
for giving guys like him a free pass when
they and others like them should be
more closely scrutinised.

Illustration By Simon Coates

filmmakers being worried about finding a market for their

work, but the reason that we have a subsidised industry is
to promote our culture, and not to ensure that middle class
people can keep cool jobs. Its not hard to remember, but
we keep forgetting it, deliberately, because our filmmakers
want to make movies by any means necessary.
ENABLERS
If you want to make a dumb decision, whether its throwing
out the three act structure, casting someone that you want
to have sex with instead of a proven box office performer,
or going on a drunken twitter rantwell, what you need is
an enablersomeone who works with you (or wants to),
and will high-five any decision that you make. No matter
what idiocy is being performed, the enabler is in there,
cackling at jokes like a court jester, never offering up an

TROLLS
Not the pathetic, sad, evil creatures who
live under a bridge in fiction, but the
pathetic, sad, evil creatures who live to
be on social media in real life, spewing
bile, hate, and opinions. They love the fake
companionship of other people out there in cyberspace,
whipping out the hashtags, short-hand, and catchphrases
(#FFS, oy, vey, Bwahaha); self-congratulating
their mates; monopolosing the comments section; and
foisting their opinions on the world. Freedom of speech is
great, but some people will always talk more loudly and
obnoxiously than others, and none more than a troll. And
you know something? Theres not one troll out there who
thinks that theyre a troll.
I dont think theres any way to avoid the above people.
Its the nature of the beast. But we should identify them
and minimise their power. Then maybe well have a film
industry to be proud of again.
By Reg Diplock The Peoples Critic n

IN CONVERSATION:
ACTOR
SPOTLIGHT KATE
FILMINK INTERVIEWS THIS
COUNTRYS FINEST PERFORMERS

MULVANY

The Little Death felt like such a fresh

comedy. What were your thoughts
when you first received the script?
I first received the script years ago now
because Josh has been working on it for so
long and so hard. But it was classic Josh.
The thing about Josh is that hes so funny,
but he gets real pathos in there as well. He
follows that amazing rule of, Make them
laugh, then break their hearts. That was
there all the way through the script. All the
characters seemed really recognisable,
but also really unique. I hadnt seen those
characters or those issues ever put on
screen before. So straight away, I said
that Id love to be a part of itas long as
theres one scene where I can dress up as
Vivien Leigh and there is!
Did you audition for the role, or did
Josh have you in mind? I auditioned
for a couple of the roles, and I was in
that lovely position where he said that he
wanted me for a couple of parts. But he
wanted Damon [Herriman] and I to play a
couple, because Damon and I are actually
best friends in real life. Evies such a
glorious character to play. Shes very sad.
Shes basically trying to save her marriage
to a narcissist! It was glorious to be on
screen with Damon, and to have Josh
directing us was an absolute dream job.

terms of theme and tone There are

contentious issues on the page, and the
great thing that Josh has done in bringing
it to screen, is that those issues are still
there, but theres nothing taboo. Theres
nothing where we went, Oh my god, are
we allowed to say that? Are we allowed
to explore that? Of course we are thats
what artists do. Thats what we should
be doing, and thats what I love about the
film. It goes there, but I dont walk away
feeling offended. I get shocked, but Im
not put out by what is being explored.
And whenever someone does something
morally reprehensible, its backed up with
sadness. Its so clever in that way.
When did you become interested in
writing and acting, and did one lead
into the other? I was very sick as a
child, and spent a lot of time in hospital.
As a result, I learnt to read, write and
perform very early on in order to just
make the day to day of hospital a little
more exciting. I learned that if I could
impersonate Frank Spencer, the nurses
would laugh and not be so rough putting
needles in me, and if I could read and
write, I could change the endings to my
Little Golden Books. But then I studied
film, TV, scriptwriting and performance at
Curtin University in Perth for four years, so
they all went hand in hand.

Given that Josh had worked on the

script for so long, did your character
come fully formed, or was there room
for you to bring your own ideas?
Josh is incredible as a writer and director
because he trusts that Im a writer as well
and so is Damon. So we had several sitdown sessions. He left things very open to
us, and wed nut things out together and
then hed go home and fix up the script.
Its still very much his words and ideas,
but hes a very generous writer, probably
because hes also an actor. He knows that
the words and feelings have to fit in an
actors body.

You were cast in terrific stage roles

straight after university. Was the
theatre your goal after graduating? I
love the theatre, and I love the immediate
live response. That said, you get that in film
as well when you sit in a premiere with an
audience for the first time, and the great
thing is that youre part of that rather than
up the front. But I just got swept into the
theatre world, and did the occasional film
role here and there. Thats picked up in the
last couple of years. But early on, I got a lot
of great, juicy theatre roles, including Lady
Macbeth and Dottie from Killer Joe.

It will be interesting to see how it

connects to audiences because it does
feel unique and pretty audacious in

You have an amazing portfolio as a

playwright, but is The Seed the work
that stands out for you personally and

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Photo by Sally Flegg. Makeup by Alexandra Wharton at Makeup By Alexandra.

Having compiled an enviable theatre resume, KATE MULVANY is finally getting her due on
screen, with scene-stealing support roles in the likes of The Great Gatsby and The Turning.
Shes scored her best film role yet in Josh Lawsons directorial debut, THE LITTLE DEATH,
where she plays a neglected wife, whose attempts at sexual role-playing go hilariously awry.
Beyond acting, the multi-talented Mulvany has also penned and produced over twenty plays
and screenplays, including the acclaimed stage production, The Seed, which was largely
inspired by her own family history, and is headed for the screen. BY CARA NASH

professionally? Id written many plays

before it, but that was the one that seems
to have this ongoing life. Its just received
more development funding to be made into
a screenplay, which Im also writing. Its
the story that keeps on giving, and its so
lovely that there are so many people out
there who want it to be realised on the
screen. Thats why Josh is so inspiring; he
didnt give up.
Thats the only play that youve written
that youve also acted in. Given that
its a semi-autobiographical work,
how was that experience? It was
really tricky. I didnt even want to be in it!
I was my own fifth choice to play the part!
[Laughs] All these other actresses got
pregnant or got better jobs, so I was thrust

into the role of myself. Shes the most

fictionalised character in the play, but the
great thing about writing the screenplay is
that Ive been asked to pump her up. The
play is really centred on two soldiers a
Vietnam veteran and an IRA soldier, and
their journalist granddaughter who comes
along for the ride. But for the screenplay,
were reversing it and making it the story
of this young, strong, flawed Australian
woman. I can only do that now because I
got to live in her shoes for so long. It was
exhausting, and I was going home utterly
wrecked. I played her for two-and-a-half
years straight. When I got home, Id want
to thrust her aside, but Ive still got all the
same physical scars, and a couple of the
emotional ones that she has. So it was a
tricky thing, but thats what it is to be an
actor youve got to find yourself in any

T H E R E A R E T WO S I D ES
TO E V E RY S TO RY . . .

The Great Gatsby

The Little Death

OUT
NOW

The Seed

The Turning

Thats what it is to be an actor youve got to find

yourself in any character, and then youve got to learn
to let it go at the end of the day.
character, and then youve got to learn to let it go at the
end of the day.
Have your sources of inspiration or your creative
process changed? Im getting better at knowing
what helps me as a writer. I know that Im allowed to
break up with a project. I usually have about five or
six scripts on the go at once, which people say not to
do, but I do it so I can break up with one, put it away
for a while, start a new affair, and then come back to
it thats only in my professional life! [Laughs] But
that helps. Just treating myself to a good break now
and then is fantastic. You cant write if you dont know
what the world is out therewhen you come back,
youve always got plenty of other stories to tell. Thats
the key, along with the various big, long conversations
with anyone that I meet. Everyones got a story, and its
lovely to be in a job where I can share those stories.
Youve had great film roles recently with Baz
Luhrmanns The Great Gatsby and the Tim Winton
portmanteau film, The Turning. Have you been
consciously seeking more film work? I audition
for films, but Ive been lucky that the parts that Ive had
have been delicious, fun roles. With The Great Gatsby,
I was on tour with Julius Caesar, and I did this crazy
little self-test and got the role of Mrs. McKee. I told Baz
[Luhrmann] that I was on tour with a show, and he was
great. He flew me back. It was hectic but so much fun
to do. I was offered the role in The Turning. I loved that,
and it was fantastic to get back to WA. Im a huge fan

of Tim Winton too, and he turned up. I know that he

does enjoy my plays, and I love his books, so it was nice
to meet and on a film set! We had lunch together, and
I was a giggling fan.
Did he share anything that stuck with you? He
asked me, How do you write a play? I was like, Oh
my god, Tim Wintons asking me how to write a play! I
asked him how you write a book, and we laughed at our
own inadequacies as writers! Hes a beautiful man, and
so gracious to not just share his story with The Turning,
but to let so many people have their way with it. It was
the most extraordinary outcome.
Is directing on your radar? I used to direct theatre,
but Ive stepped away from it. But never say never!
Are your feet firmly in Australia at the moment?
I go overseas a fair bit with my plays. I just came back
from Poland for my adaptation of Medea. I do go over to
LA, but Ive never gone over there for a long period. Ive
never done the pilot season. But Ive got a great manager
whos happy for me to test from Australia. My partner
[actor Hamish Michael] and I are going over in January
to spend a bit of time there, but theres no real pressure.
I love being a part of the Australian industry. It absolutely
thrills me, and its going through an extraordinary time at
the moment. I hope that continues.
The Little Death is released on September 18
and is reviewed on Page 75. n

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FOCUS O

TASMANIA

TREASURE
ISLAND

It might get stung by the tyranny of distance, but Australias island state, TASMANIA, has a vibrant and busy filmmaking
community unlike any other part of the country. BY CARA NASH

he Tasmanian Twin Peaks is how The Kettering

Incident has been labelled. Its $15 million drama
series currently being shot in our island state.
Boasting top-tier talent, the Foxtel series is a
major coup for a state that many dont necessarily
equate with a burgeoning film industry. Most people
dont really have any sense of there being a Tasmanian
film industry at all! laughs Rebecca Thomson, a local
filmmaker and co-founder of the Hobart-based Stranger
With My Face Horror Film Festival. Hopefully this will
change with The Kettering Incident, which is set entirely
in Tassie and involves a significant amount of homegrown
talent.
Created by native Tasmanian and veteran television
writer, Vicki Madden, the edgy, gothic series has been
scripted by a collection of impressive screenwriters,
including Andrew Knight (The Water Diviner), Cate
Shortland (Lore, Somersault), and Louise Fox (Dead
Europe). Suffice to say, its a blue ribbon television
production, and nothing short of a game-changer for the
local industry. Being filmed in the titular Tasmanian town of
Kettering, the series follows a doctor (The Great Gatsbys
scene-stealing Elizabeth Debicki) entwined in the cases of
two girls who have mysteriously disappeared in identical
circumstances in the Tasmanian wilderness. Its the first
television drama series to tap into Tasmanias stunning
natural resources, but also the dark, unique mythology
ingrained in the region. The films produced in the state
admittedly slight in number have often been infused with
a strong sense of place and history. The famed 1927 silent
film, For The Term Of His Natural Life, was largely shot in
Port Arthur, and was the first feature to depict Tasmanias
brutal colonial past. More recent entries include 2004s
Van Diemens Land, which chronicles the savage story of
the notorious escaped convict, Alexander Pearce, who
turned to cannibalism to survive (his story also inspired
the 2008 Tassie-shot horror flick, Dying Breed); Brendan
Cowells 2013 television movie, The Outlaw Michael
Howe, which told of the eponymous 1800s-era criminal
and revolutionary; and 2011s The Hunter, a psychological
drama which sees Willem Dafoe on the hunt for the
Tasmanian Tiger.
The latter feature visually stunning, atmospheric, and
haunting was a rich showcase for Tasmanias singular
shooting locations, and the environment left an indelible
50
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mark on the films producer, Vincent Sheehan. Following

his experience on The Hunter, the experienced Sydneybased producer was keen to revisit Tasmanian terrain with
a more expansive project, which he found in The Kettering
Incident. Ive always felt a deep connection to this land,
and the stories of this land through literature and films,
Sheehan says. The Hunter took eight years to develop,
and that gave me an opportunity to investigate the place
on a number of levels. A lot of doors opened not just in
the film industry, but also in terms of what I could see as
a really unique part of Australia. The Hunter was about
a lone man in the wilderness, so we were often out in
remote places with a small crew and just one actor, and
what I saw was the possibility of doing a long-running,
ensemble-driven drama show. I met Vicki Madden, and
saw in her a deep insight into the stories here. Vicki is
an experienced television writer, and spent many years
working in London. When she returned home, it was the
perfect combination of someone who knew this world
instantly, and someone who possessed a wealth of scary
and very unusual stories.
Its an even more impressive production for Tasmania
given that the state (which invested $1 million in the project
via Screen Tasmania) doesnt have the facilities of Sydneys
Fox Studios or Melbournes Dockland Studios. You dont
come to Tasmania for a studio, Sheehan says. You come
to Tasmania to tap into its resources. Outside an emerging
but talented base of technicians and creatives, the value
is in the beautiful, pristine wilderness. Its not just forests
and coasts and farmland, but also the most intact historical
buildings in Australia. Theres a range of possibilities as to
the type of shows that you can make here.
In complete agreement is Nick Batzias, head of
production at Madman Production Company (MPC), an
offshott of Madman Films, which distributed both The
Hunter and Van Diemens Land. Hes also on the board
of Screen Tasmania. Under MPC, Batzias also has two
feature projects in early development adaptations of the
novels, Past The Shallows and The Ship Thieves which
he hopes to shoot at the very least partly in Tasmania.
He feels that the obstacles once associated with film
production in Tasmania are gradually being erased. Going
to Tasmania to shoot has logistical challenges if youre
based on the mainland, but the rewards that you get in
terms of value on screen are huge. Its about leveraging

Van Diemen's Land

that. And things are changing. Its a lot easier to move

production to Tasmania, as equipment is more portable.
Technology also has a lot to do with it, and the ability to
work remotely has meant that weve got practitioners in
Tasmania who can live there rather than having to be close
to a city centre.
Also contributing to the regeneration of the industry
has been the establishment of Screen Tasmania in 2000,
and its director, Karena Slaninka, finds the industry in
exceptionally good shape. Its the strongest that its been
in thirty years, she says. Its finally having its day in the
sun. For Slaninka, Screen Tasmanias focus is on nurturing
the local industry, though international productions are
still travelling down under, including Derek Cianfrances
adaptation of the local tome, The Light Between Oceans
starring Michael Fassbender and Rachel Weisz which is
partly shooting in Stanley in Tasmanias North West. Our
unique point of difference is that we arent chasing those
productions, Slaninka says. Weve chosen to foster
Tasmanian creative talent and stories with the view that
the international industry follows talent, in the way that
Hollywood followed Peter Jackson to New Zealand. So in
a world gone global, our point of difference is our genuine
and unique Tasmanian perspective. This is what we have
to offer, and this is what were fostering. Were building
the local industry from the ground up.
Outside the funding bodies, Briony Kidd, a filmmaker
and co-founder of the Stranger With My Face Horror Film
Festival, also believes that the scene has grown stronger.
Weve made a concerted effort to develop collaboratively,
and in supporting each other, weve been able to increase
visibility and do more with less. Adds Rebecca Thomson:
There is a groundswell of emerging filmmakers who are
teaming up and just getting stuff made outside of the
funding system. Ive seen a lot of people up-skill quickly
through determination and practice, and theyre now
getting funded projects produced.
For Nick Batzias, this blossoming film scene is
indicative of the thriving arts scene in Tasmania in general.
What were seeing is a reflection of whats happening
more broadly within the arts scene in Tasmania, he says.
Theyve always punched above their weight in terms
of arts festivals, and the introduction of MONA has put
Tasmania on the international level.
The establishment of the Museum Of Old And New Art

Karen Slaninka

MONA

Vicki Madden, Vincent Sheehan

The Kettering Incident
The Outlaw Michael Howe

BOFA's Owen Tilbury

The Hunter

SCREEN TASMANIAS KARENA SLANINKA: IN A WORLD GONE GLOBAL, OUR POINT OF DIFFERENCE
IS OUR GENUINE AND UNIQUE TASMANIAN PERSPECTIVE. THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE TO OFFER, AND
THIS IS WHAT WERE FOSTERING. WERE BUILDING THE LOCAL INDUSTRY FROM THE GROUND UP.
(MONA) in 2011 has had a huge impact on Tasmanias cultural
and tourism scene, which has come to be known as the MONA
effect. Literally chiseled into an escarpment on the banks of the
Derwent River in Hobart, the museum, opened by the eccentric
philanthropist, David Walsh, boasts one of the most confronting
and controversial collections of art in the world, originally themed
around sex and death. It sets the tone for an arts scene that feels
raw and ambitious. The ripple effect of MONA has been huge,
Vincent Sheehan says. Theres just an energy and vibrancy
around the place. The festivals associated with it are bolder, more
ambitious, and more exciting than mainland festivals.
The museum oversees two festivals a festival of music and
arts known as MONA FOMA, held in summer, and its winter
cousin event, Dark MOFO, which features a killer film programme
co-curated by Nick Batzias. The film festival scene has certainly
flourished in recent years, and another addition to the circuit
is Briony Kidd and Rebecca Thomsons Stranger With My Face
Horror Film Festival. The festival grew out of the pair (who have
also just received funding from Screen Tasmania for a horror
anthology film that they plan to shoot locally) wanting to do
something based around Women In Horror Month, and in the
process, they started a film festival accidentally. I was surprised
by how well the idea was received and how quickly it took
off, Kidd recalls about the event, which has just successfully
wrapped its third year. But in retrospect, there was a gap in
the festival circuit at that time. There was a real dearth of film
culture in Tasmania in the sense of organisations being willing to
put money or effort into audience development.
Another major addition to the film festival scene is The
Tasmanian Breath Of Fresh Air Film Festival (BOFA), the states
premier film event, which will roll out in Launceston for its fifth
year this November. Its founder and director, Owen Tilbury,
was similarly motivated to start the event which screens a
collection of the finest feature films, documentaries, and shorts
from Australia and around the world due to the gaping hole
that he noticed in the states cultural scene. Tasmania is the

only state or territory in Australia that didnt have a significant

film festival, he says, and thats the reason why Screen
Tasmania and Events Tasmania has supported us so strongly. It
was an important part of Tasmanias cultural life to have a film
festival that was bringing the worlds best films to Tasmania,
and also giving the Tasmanian film industry the chance to show
their films to themselves. Our final reason for doing it is also
our point of differentiation the whole point of the festival is to
choose films that inspire people to see the world differently, so
we always have films that deal with environmental and gender
issues, and that involve people facing personal challenges.
BOFA also provides a platform for alterative content, which
has proven one of the areas of focus for Screen Tasmania. Using
digital technology means that Tasmanias screen industry is not
disadvantaged by our physical distance or geographical isolation,
Karena Slaninka says.
Ultimately, however, its the higher-end productions that the
state needs to establish and sustain an industry. Without big
productions, theres always the danger that all the skilled people
will leave Tasmania, Briony Kidd warns. Its essential that
the government and Screen Tasmania support big productions
coming to the state but also make sure that Tasmanians are
heavily involved in them.
For Slaninka, Tasmania seems on the verge of becoming
that real industry. There is a growing interest in Tasmania,
she says, and our challenge is to ensure that we build on the
momentum created by shows such as The Kettering Incident, and
continue to support production activity that will train and develop
expertise and generate jobs. The industry here is about to take
off, and its an exciting time for Tasmania. We just need to keep
the momentum going!
The Tasmanian Breath Of Fresh Air Film Festival
runs from November 6-9. For more information,
head to www.bofa.com.au. n

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S
K
C
A
R
T
R
A
W
OF

Writer/director, DAVID AYER, chronicles the brutality and misfortunes of war in his scorching WW2 drama, FURY,
starring BRAD PITT, LOGAN LERMAN, and JON BERNTHAL as the crew of a US Army Sherman tank rolling right
into the heart of Nazi Germany. BY TIM BAIN & ERIN FREE

onths ago, the heavy, sodden paddocks

around Bovingdon Airfield a former
Royal Air Force station located
two-and-a-half miles south east of
Hertfordshire in England was alive
with the sounds of war. Tanks rolled
and bumped through the mud, gunfire pierced the
still air, and the cries of desperate men were carried
across the grassy expanse by gentle gusts of wind.
The war, of course, was solely a cinematic one, and
the people that fought it have now returned to their
harm-free battlefield to share the spoils of war with
the rest of the world. At the nearby Tank Museum in
Bovington which boasts a collection of armoured
fighting vehicles that stitch together to present a
history of the military tank the director and principal
cast of the WW2 drama, Fury, have assembled for the
films first major post-completion press event. FilmInk
is right in the middle of it, getting a guided tour around
the museum, and an opportunity to get up close and
personal with a number of hulking, hard-metal WW2
war machines.
But the assembled press corps arent there
to climb inside tanks and soak up the fetid,
claustrophobic atmosphere. The press is there to
meet the stars and director of Fury, and when they
arrive, its appropriately enough by military jeep,
and not by limousine. Theres a press conference,
roundtable interviews, and photo calls, and even
while director, David Ayer, and his stars, Brad Pitt, Jon
Bernthal, and Logan Lerman, smile for the cameras
and stoke the media fires for their new movie, one
thing becomes very clear over the course of this day
at The Tank Museum in Bovington: the experience of
making Fury has marked these men, and its marked
them hard. The unfortunate thing is that the objective
of war is very simple I kill you or you kill me,
says Brad Pitt. One of us is going to get there first.
Brutality wins in the end. There has to be this element
of being hard. If the enemy is coming hard at you and
escalating, then you have to escalate even more. You
have to put on more pressure, because both of you
are not walking away. Its life and death.
Written and directed by David Ayer whos made
a name for himself with tough-minded films like End
Of Watch and Sabotage, and also for his script work
on Training Day, Dark Blue, and S.W.A.T Fury is
set at the dying days of WW2, with The Third Reich
emitting a death rattle, but still capable of landing a
few fatal body blows on the way down. Though in
their ascendency, the Allies are weary from years of
war, and any initial excitement or optimism has long
since been left in tatters on the battlefield. Its the
powerful tale of an old, rumbling Sherman tank, and
the tough, scared, loyal, desperate men who crew
it. Theres Sergeant Don Wardaddy Collier (Brad
Pitt), a battle-hardened veteran who rules his younger
team with a loving but iron-heavy fist; Boyd Swan
(Shia LaBeouf), the tanks religious, morally driven
gunner; good ol boy, Grady Travis (Jon Bernthal), who
loads the guns for Boyd, and feels right at home with
bullets belting past his head; and Trini Garcia (Michael
Pena), who drives the tank and tries to calm his frayed
nerves with hits of booze.
These men have boldly named their tank, Fury,
smearing the word across the machines cannon in
glaring white paint. It was common for tankers in
WW2 to name their tanks, David Ayer explains. A
lot of the time, theyd give them female names. An

FURY
interesting aside to this is that in old photographs,
youll see the name of the tank, and itll be followed
by a number 2 or 3, which means that theyve
had tanks destroyed, and theyve been given a new
tank and carried the name forward. Calling the tank,
Fury, just comes from the idea of the rage, the
determination, and the strength of Wardaddy, and
how he fights his war with fury. Sometimes youll
see tanks with those kinds of names, and not just
girlfriend names. Theres a tank in the movie called
Murder Inc., which comes from an actual tank in
WW2. General Patton saw it and got very upset. The
tradition of naming these vehicles is quite rich. It was
a blessing to roll out the title, and to have it also be
the name of the tank.
As the film begins, the men of this tank called
Fury have lost one of their own, watching as he was
cut down by enemy fire. In his place comes Norman
Ellison (Logan Lerman), a young man woefully
unprepared for war. Though trained to be a mere
typist, hes been sent to the frontlines in the 2nd

DAVID AYER:
IF YOU REALLY WANT
TO FIND OUT ABOUT
SOMEONE, PUNCH THEM
IN THE FACE.
Armored Division, and forced to serve as an assistant
driver in the tank. Logans character was engineered
to take the audience through this complex world of
warfare, says the singularly intense and impassioned
David Ayer. A lot of thought went into what Logan
played. Norman Ellison is only eighteen-years-old,
and he comes from a white collar family. Theres an
instant class difference between him and the other
men in the tank. Theyre blue collar men of The
Depression. Towards the end of the war, the United
States was at the lowest level of its manpower. They
were grabbing anybody that they could in the draft,
and they were throwing them into combat after as
little as six weeks of training. Thats what Logans
character represents; the last manpower of the
United States. Thats when it becomes clear how
many people have been consumed in this war.
As the tanks assistant driver, Norman Ellison
has an important role to fill, and its up to the crew
to get him up to speed on the job. Inside the tank,
its a very tight, intimate space, says Brad Pitt,
turning to look at the looming Sherman that literally
sits right behind us in the big, airy shed that is The
Tank Museum in Bovington. Its our home. Were
crammed together, but weve all got our spots and
our workability and our language. When we start out,
our crew is one of the few whove been together for
a long time. Theyve survived. Suddenly, this new
kid is thrown in there, and he doesnt have any tank
experience. Hes a threat to our survival. If he cant
perform, the mission is in danger, and people will
die. This kid is very innocent, with a great sense of
humanity. The conundrum of the piece is this: how do
you raise a child in a day? My character, Wardaddy,
has to crush this kids humanity, and get him callous
and hard to ensure the safety of the others.
WWW.FILMINK.COM.AU FILMINK 53

FURY

NEW RECRUIT
Young actor, LOGAN LERMAN, excels as the least
experienced but most relatable member of the tank
crew in FURY. BY TIM BAIN
When I called [director] David Ayer, I said, Look
man, I really want to do this. And he said, Okay,
youve got the movie. For the first thirty seconds,
I was excited and happy. And then I realised, Oh
shit, now Im in this. And from then onwell, I was
stressed out for the whole year. It was a tough job. If
anyone truly cops it in Fury, its unquestionably young
actor, Logan Lerman, best known for headlining the
Percy Jackson fantasy flicks; the Biblical epic, Noah;
and the acclaimed teen flick, The Perks Of Being A
Wallflower. In Fury, Lerman plays Norman Ellison,
an inexperienced young soldier thrown amongst the
tanks crew when one of their men is killed. Untried
and untested, Ellison is literally tossed to the wolves.
Shy and engagingly inarticulate, Logan Lerman is
perfect casting as the rookie, and the actor visibly
rumples when talking about the boot camps and
Method acting games that the actors were put
through before and during the shoot. This was the
hardest film that Ive ever done, Lerman says of
the UK-shot Fury. Psychologically and physically, it
was a tough one to shake off. I needed a good break
afterwards. A lot of the things that we did, I cant
tell you guysits not good for the press interviews.
The psychological damage that David Ayer did to me
and the other guys was really difficult. To shake it off,
I needed a good break, and I needed to get back to
reality. We were isolated during the shoot, and we
never broke out of our bubble. We stayed in the movie
the whole time. Wed come home after rehearsals,
and then wed go back to the middle of nowhere.
We lived next to each other. We lived in that world,
and we never broke out of it. We rarely took trips
to London. Occasionally we did that, but then we
stopped because it didnt feel comfortable, and it
didnt feel right. We slept in that tank for a few nights,
and it became comfortable and homey after a while. I
loved my area after a while; it was my den.
Despite still displaying psychological bruises,
Lerman relished working on Fury. It was a creatively
satisfying experience, he says. I tried new things,
and explored different sides of myself. Im wholly
satisfied with everything that we gave as actors. We
put everything out there on the tablebut I still dont
know how Id handle being in a war. n
54 FILMINK WWW.FILMINK.COM.AU

DAVID AYER: WAR IS A TERRIBLE THING. WE ALL KNOW THAT.

BUT FROM A BASIC STORYTELLING STANDPOINT, WAR HAS LIFE
AND DEATH STAKES, AND IT HAS ACTION AND SPECTACLE.
Over the course of 24 fateful hours, Wardaddys
training will be tested as he and the four other men of the
Fury are charged with taking on 300 enemy German troops
in a desperate battle for survival. Though the vagaries of
that mission are still under wraps, with Fury yet to screen
in its entirety at the time of the press day, the assembled
journalists are shown a five-minute clip from the film, and
it is shocking in its in-your-face lack of compromise. In the
scene, Wardaddy demands that Norman kill a captured
German soldier, in order to break the rookie and show
him that killing is a necessity in winning the war. Its a
heartbreaking scene, as Norman adamantly refuses, while
being beaten and lambasted by Wardaddy in front of
surrounding soldiers all while the German soldier begs
for his life and shows photos of his wife and children.
Wardaddy eventually tackles Norman to the ground,
pushes a gun into his hand, and physically forces him to
shoot the soldier in the back. Its clear that the film is told
through Norman Ellisons perspective, and that he is the
audiences frequently spinning moral compass. The film is
gritty and full throttle, and clearly explores the blurry line of
morality in the final hours of war.
Brad Pitt, meanwhile, is fearsome and ruthless in the
role. His scarred and battered Wardaddy is no shining white
knight in military fatigues. This man has been seared by
years of combat, says David Ayer, launching into one of
his characteristically poetic, eloquent, but hard-edged
soliloquys on the nature of his film. Modern combat, with
its mechanised warfare, is a cookbook; its like an industrial
process. I liken these guys to coalminers. They put on their
safety equipment and their uniforms and their hard hats,
and they go into the coal mine with their jackhammers, and
they harvest coal. In this case, its death. These processes
by which these mechanised organisations kill each other
is very specific. Obviously, theres doctrine and training

that goes into that. When a man becomes proficient in

this language of killing, and hardened in that manner,
its absolutely not exclusive to the idea that he still has
a soul, and that he still has a heart. He still has dreams,
and he still has love. We went to great pains to show that
Brads character had depth. We did incredible work on
backstory. The worst thing is having a movie populated
with characters that know theyre movie characters. Brads
character doesnt know that hes a movie character. Were
just seeing a little piece of the fight of his life. He has
momentum, velocity, history, and soul.
And if youre thinking that Fury might be some kind of
companion piece to 2009s Inglourious Basterds, in which
Brad Pitt so vividly played Nazi scalp-hunting hard-man,
Lt. Aldo Raine, then think again. Yes, the films both take
place in WW2, but I see them entirely as different beasts,
says Pitt, looking like the effortlessly coolest kid in school,
dressed in a snazzy orange felt hat, sipping a cappuccino,
and occasionally punctuating his colleagues answers
with jokes or friendly ribbing. Hes unassuming, relaxed,
and friendly, looking everyone in the eye as he answers
questions. Inglourious Basterds, of course, is all about
Quentin Tarantinos language, and its more sensational
and fun. This is David Ayers language. Its deep and raw
and not shy to show the brutalities of war, and the true
map of war.
A big part of that map was Ayers detailed structuring
not just of the mechanics of the plot and the films
extensive battle sequences, but also of the comprehensive
backstory of Pitts Sergeant Don Wardaddy Collier. Id
get these random emails in the middle of the night from
Dave that would just be these lengthy colourings about
the backstory, the actor explains. We talked a lot about
the war within. Theres a war on the outside but theres
also the private war within the man. We spent extensive

GUTS & GLORY

Famous for playing The Walking Deads bad boy, Shane,
actor, JON BERNTHAL, is the wildest man in the tank in FURY.
BY TIM BAIN

time on that. We talked a lot about leadership. What is

leadership? How do you keep the morale of the crew
up? When do you need to squash them down? When
do you need to slap them around? When do you need
to embolden them? You have to keep them at an arms
length, but with respect. We talked a lot about the paradox
of leadership a good leader in this situation loves these
men, and theres a tight bond. Its a trade of mutual
respect. But at the same time, he has to make calls that
may get these men killed. Its a paradoxical situation to
be in. And because the leader cannot show weakness, his
calls need to be made with authority, and his men need to
feel that they can trust his calls. Where does the leader
off-gas? What does he do with this psychological baggage
that has been building up for three years in our story?
Wardaddy has fought in Africa, and his crew has worked
its way through France and Belgium, and is now punching
its way through Germany in the last few weeks that The
Third Reich is still alive. Its been a long, long journey.
This complex detailing of Wardaddy and his history
extended right through to his wardrobe, which one might
not instantly tag as a major part of a WW2 movie. We
made Wardaddys silhouette have authority, says costume
designer, Owen Thornton, who is also on hand at The
Tank Museum. The way that hes dressed tells the other
soldiers that this guy has been around. Hes an old salt,
hes a veteran, and hes a pre-war guy. They know not to
mess with him. Hes got the high boots, he has the trousers
tucked in, and there are lots of repairs on him; hes got
the pre-war jacket. By 1945, when the movie happens, his
uniform has been through the ringer. We used colours that
havent really been used before. We looked at everything
from his boots to his pistol holster. We even had it made in
Texas pre-war, with a design on it. Wardaddy is not like a
newly minted Norman Ellison-type soldier. Hes got stripes.
Hes been there, hes done that, and he doesnt need to
walk up and get in your face and shout. He just has a look
that says, Back off; I know what Im saying.
Owen Thornton could also be describing the films
writer/director, David Ayer. Though he only has a handful
of directorial efforts to his name, hes already renowned
for both his command of his material, and his command

of a film set. Ayer is tall and imposing in person, with a

beard and close-cropped hair, and he carries a heavy air
of strength and quiet intensity. When I direct, I can be
a steamroller, he says. Yeah, thats for damn sure,
actor, Logan Lerman, concurs with a nervous smile. He
keeps you guessing, and he keeps you insecure. He likes
his actors to be unsure of themselves. Hes got this great
look, as if hes saying, You have an idea? Hmmm. Thats
his response. Yeah, hes a steamroller, but at the same
time, hes incredibly collaborative, and hell allow you to
try things. He gets you to push the limits. Its a unique
experience working with him. David has a reputation.
Youre committing to an intense process, and you dont
know what youre getting yourself into. Hes going to put
you in situations that are uncomfortable and challenging,
but you stay in it.
It was David Ayers enthusiasm that actually provided
the film with many of its tanks, a large portion of which
came from the personal collection of famously eccentric
WW2 memorabilia collector, Bruce Compton, who even
has his own TV show, called Combat Dealers. After two
days of spending time with David Ayer, his passion and
knowledge about the subject blew me away, Compton
says. Ive never spoken to people on film sets that had
this real in-depth need to get it absolutely right. As a
consequence, I got on board with him because this story
has not been seen before. Its absolutely unique.
Up until now, Ayers reputation has been for creating
tough, hotly contemporary tales of cops and criminals,
driven by punchy, of-the-moment dialogue, and issues that
are shaking the modern urban world right now. Though
proficient with weapons, and ready to barge through the
door first, his hard-bitten cops from Street Kings, S.W.A.T,
End Of Watch, and Sabotage are seemingly a world away
from the WW2 soldiers of Fury. As a filmmaker, I am
exploring the same issues, Ayer says of his seeming
career detour with Fury. The law enforcement and
military communities have several parallels. They exercise
violence on behalf of society. They are franchised by
the government to kill for us. Granted, in very different
conditions and circumstances. Theyre a brotherhood and
sisterhood. Theres a bond of danger. They live apart from

We were trying to tell as raw and authentic a

WW2 story as possible, says the larger than life
Jon Bernthal, who talks about Fury with a fullforce sense of enthusiasm and passion. A lot of
times, these soldiers are romanticised or glorified;
theyre portrayed as heroes. I take no issue with
that theres no question that these guys were
heroes but to tell the story in a raw and authentic
way, you have to expose the real horrors, and how
psychologically battered they were, and how they
broke down. It shows what they did as being far more
heroic than telling a cleaner or lightened version.
In the Sherman tank that propels Fury, Jon
Bernthal is certainly not at the cleaner or lighter end
of things. His Grady Travis the crews loader, who
feeds ammunition into the tanks guns is a good ol
boy who likes carousing, fighting, killing, and chasing
women. He might not be an officer and a gentleman,
but hes utterly and lethally effective. Its another
dark-hued role for Jon Bernthal, who ripped and
roared as one of Leonardo DiCaprios least civilised
off-siders in The Wolf Of Wall Street; and brought two
seasons worth of burning tension to the hit series,
The Walking Dead. Like all of the actors in the film,
however, the challenges of making Fury were unlike
any that hed previously experienced. It was a grind,
sighs Bernthal, who got an early break in the WW2 TV
epic, The Pacific, telling FilmInk how much he enjoyed
his time in Australia shooting the series. There
was a big cost emotionally and physically with Fury.
There was a lot of effort put in to keep us in a place
of psychological fragility. We werent running to the
bar in town. We stayed in the world of the movie as
much as we could. Thats the only way to do a movie
like this.
Part of that process involved daily sparring
sessions, where the films cast members were
thrown against each other in boxing rounds by
director, David Ayer. It was important for David that
we fought each other every day, Bernthal reveals.
Everybody had to fight each other. You learn about
each others strengths and weaknesses, you learn
how to deal with your fear, and you communicate
with each other in a million nuanced ways that you
could never do by getting a coffee and talking. Theres
no lying in fighting. n
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BRAD PITT: I KNEW UPON FIRST READING THE SCRIPT THAT IT WAS SOMETHING
SPECIAL AND VERY TRUTHFUL. I DIDNT RECOGNISE YET HOW DEEP IT WAS UNTIL
WE ALL STARTED WORKING TOGETHER, AND WE GOT SHOVED INTO THE FIRE.
regular society. Theres the hierarchy, the uniforms
there are parallels. Its a community that I understand.
With Fury, David Ayer butts up against a duality that
confronts most directors when theyre making a militarythemed movie. War might be hell, but it can also make
for a hell of a time on the cinema screen, as classics like
The Great Escape, The Dirty Dozen, and The Bridge On The
River Kwai, and contemporary critical darlings like Saving
Private Ryan and The Thin Red Line, have amply proven.
War is a terrible thing, says Ayer. We all know that. But
from a basic storytelling standpoint, war has life and death
stakes, and it has action and spectacle. As destructive
to the human spirit that war is, its also fertile ground for
storytellers. Obviously in my business, war is often not
depicted in its whole reality. What I tried to show here is
that there are consequences. There are consequences for
the civilians who pay the price of combat, and there are the
individual soldiers who pay a psychological price. War stays
with the people who have fought it for the rest of their
lives. Those experiences affect their children and even their
grandchildren. Its a tragic thing. War will always be with
us, as long as there are those who dont want to cooperate
with a fraternity of nations. Its something that we need to
be prepared for, and we need to be ready to fight. Is it right
or wrong to glorify war? I couldnt answer that. It happens.
What does this film do? It simply tries to acknowledge that
the struggle that our men in WW2 faced was no different
from Vietnam, Iraq, or Afghanistan. Just because it truly
was a fight against evil, and the outcome was absolute
good, it doesnt mean that the fighting that the individual
56 FILMINK WWW.FILMINK.COM.AU

soldier experienced was any easier.

Though there have been many movies made on the
conflict in Vietnam and WW1 (with a scattering also
dealing with the wars in Korea and The Middle East),
there is a particularly rich canon when it comes to films
set during WW2. Why do we keep going back to that
chapter in history? Because it truly was a world war,
Ayer replies. There was fighting in the most remote
islands in the Pacific Ocean imaginable to the great
capitals of Europe. The war touched every part of the
globe, and it touched nearly every family. Within that,
there is an incredible range of stories. To this day, Im
still learning about facets of the war that are amazing.
Im constantly thinking, Wow, that would make a great
movie. Its the foundational event of the modern world.
We still deal with the consequences of that war. It
has shaped everything around us and everything about
us. Even political events of today can be traced back
directly to the end of WW2. It was a titanic struggle with
incredible stakes and incredible heart.
For a man who speaks so engagingly and candidly
about the nature of war, its no surprise to learn that
David Ayer has a military background himself. Kicked
out of his Maryland home as a teenager, Ayer then lived
with his cousin in South Central Los Angeles, one of the
toughest corners in that notoriously gun-heavy city. Ayers
experiences there became the inspiration for many of
his films, but when looking for a way out, he enlisted in
the United States Navy as a submariner. I come from
a military family, Ayer told press while shooting Fury.

My grandfathers were in WW2 and retired as officers.

One fought in the Pacific and one fought in Europe. The
whole family was in the war. I grew up exposed to it, and
hearing the stories.
Ayers military experience very much influenced his
entire approach to Fury, particularly with regards to
preparing his actors for the task at hand. I served on a
nuclear submarine, he says at The Tank Museum. You
eat, sleep, work, and everything else, inside a machine.
The machine is only going to take care of you as well as
you take care of it. It takes on a soul and a personality,
and its really a love/hate relationship. That spirit of the
machine is something that I tried to bring into the movie.
And the way to do that is by training these guys, and
getting them comfortable, and getting them to have the
same love for this machine, which they developed. This
machine is a character in the movie, and it comes to
represent this familythis amazing, insane, wonderful,
complex familyjust like anyones family! I understand its
rules, and it was a pleasure to impart these experiences
to the actors, and to get them familiar with the uniquely
cloistered life of the armed forces.
And what did that involve? There was a long research
phase, and there was a long protracted training phase,
Ayer replies. There were simple things, like martial arts,
sparring and fighting, to teach them familiarity. If you really
want to find out about someone, punch them in the face.
You learn a lot more about them that way than by having a
simple conversation. There was training, and learning how
to operate the military equipment. I gave them stacks of

FURY

GETTING TANKED
While a hard-tracking, Nazi-killing weapon of war in
FURY, tanks have been used for far different things in
a number of movies and TV shows. BY ERIN FREE
KELLYS HEROES
(1970)
Theres a lot to love
about this entertaining,
Clint Eastwood-starring,
rag-tag hero, guys-on-amission WW2 flick from
director, Brian G. Hutton (Where Eagles Dare), but one
of the films absolute highlights is Donald Sutherlands
long-haired, proto-hippy tank commander, Oddball,
who blares loud music from speakers on his war
machine, shoots paint at the Nazis to scare them,
and blathers on about positive waves while calling
everyone baby.

TANK (1984)

David Ayer, Logan Lerman, Brad Pitt, and Jon Bernthal at The Tank Museum in Bovington, England, August 2014
historical books to read, and personal accounts about the
war. We gave them training manuals on how to operate
the tank, and how to operate the weapons. There was lots
of rehearsal. Im a big believer in rehearsal. Obviously, it
culminated with boot camp, which was like the graduation
exercise. At the final phase of boot camp, they were given a
tank and weapons loaded with blanks, and then they were
given a combat problem to solve.
For the actors, the experience was a singularly intense
one. There was a lot of effort put into getting this group
of actors together, says Jon Bernthal. Through the
fighting, the tank training, and the boot camp, we had to
expose each other to our strengths and our weaknesses,
and open up to each other about our own personal lives.
The boot camp copied a real Navy SEALs course, where
the aim is to break you down and then build you back up
together, and to make you a unit. By the end, we all had
an intimate knowledge of each other. So when we actually
started shooting this thing, we were a unit, and a family.
And if you think that Brad Pitt might have used his
movie star status to get out of such pre-production
rigmarole, then think again. I cant say enough good
things about Brad, says Bernthal. Brads as equally
a great man as he is a great actor. I know that actors
constantly talk about how much they like each other, and
then they go behind each others backs and talk about
what assholes they are. But in this case, its really true.
Yes, hes Brad Pitt. He doesnt have to do anything that
he doesnt want to do, but he eagerly jumped into every
part of this pre-production period, including sparring, living
in a tank, and using the bathroom in the tankwhich, by
the way, was just as nasty as when we did it! He was
out there in the wet and the cold. There was never a time
when he differentiated himself. It was never like, Im Brad
Pitt, and you guys arent. He was part of the crew.
Nor does Pitt hold it against his director. I remain a
David Ayer fan, the actor smiles. Knowing the depths
that he goes to for realism and authenticity, and being

a writer/director, I find him to be one of the standouts.

Being a military veteran with first-hand experience, he
has a wealth of knowledge on the subject, and that drew
us all in. I knew upon first reading the script that it was
something special and very truthful. I didnt recognise yet
how deep it was until we all started working together,
and we got shoved into the fire and eventually emerged
on the other side. Did Pitt himself ever consider joining
the military? No, I was too reckless, he laughs. I never
considered it in my younger days as I was too adrift. It
was all about exploring and figuring out what that next
thing was going to be. Now, with what weve learned from
this, I cant tell you how much respect I have for what we
ask these young men and women to do on our behalves.
I walked away with so much admiration. Amongst all the
inhumanity, where do we find the moments of humanity?
Where do we reveal this? It was done judiciously and
beautifully in the film.
But despite the obvious empathy and deep sense of
respect that Ayer and his actors developed for the long
gone soldiers that formed part of the emotional grist for
Furys thundering mill, the director was always alert about
not fetishising his articles of war, and tried desperately
not to romanticise the guns, uniforms, and violence. A lot
of war movies fall into that trap, Ayer says. Weapons,
machinery, and instruments of death become fetishised.
This film is not that. Thats due in big part to the fact
that I come from a military family. So many people in my
family have served in uniform or are career officers. I have
friends in the military, and I served in the military too. So,
I see the people, I see the faces, I see the individual, I see
the personalities, and thats what I strived to bring to the
screen. Yes, theres this visual layer, and this action, but
its not about that. Its about the souls of these men.
Fury is released on October 23 and will be
reviewed at www.filmink.com.au. n

In this largely forgotten

action comedy potboiler,
the late, great James
Garner plays a good
guy US Army tank
commander who gets
on the wrong side of a corrupt smalltown sheriff
(G.D. Spradlin in horribly villainous form), leading to
a full scale, in-the-streets, tank-rolling, car-crushing
showdown of the first and very funny order.

THE BEAST OF WAR

(1988)
In this early directorial
effort, Kevin Reynolds
(Waterworld, Robin
Hood: Prince Of
Thieves) tells the
surprising Afghanistan War-set story of a Soviet
tank crew (played by Americans like Jason Patric
and Steven Bauer) who find themselves lost and in a
struggle against a band of Mujahedeen guerrillas (you
know, the Taliban) in the regions perilous mountains.

TANK GIRL (1995)

Based on Alan Martins
cult comic, this sci-fi
action comedy and all
round head-trip stars Lori
Petty as a punked out,
tank-commanding rebel
who does battle in a dried out post-apocalyptic future
against an evil mega-corporation that controls the worlds
increasingly scarce water supply. Its no masterpiece, but
Tank Girl was certainly ahead of its time.

THE WALKING DEAD

(2010-)
Tanks have played a
major part in this postapocalyptic zombie hit
TV series, first providing
shelter in a city overrun
with the undead for leading character, Rick Grimes
(Andrew Lincoln), and then serving as an instrument
of death and destruction as David Morrisseys
villainous Governor uses an old roller to blast the
shows heroes from their prison home.

WWW.FILMINK.COM.AU FILMINK 57

YOUNG
GUNS
Three major Australian talents on the rise writer/director, JULIUS AVERY, executive producer/
second unit director, MICHAEL SPICCIA (both pictured, right and left), and young actor, BRENTON
THWAITES stage a big time cinematic heist with the ripping crime thriller, SON OF A GUN.
BY ERIN FREE. PHOTO BY ALINA GOZINA

hey say that its a bit like going to war, writer/director, Julius Avery,
tells FilmInk of the first day that he stepped onto the set of his
debut feature film, Son Of A Gun. You have to prepare yourself for
the worst. There are a lot of outside stresses that dont even have
anything to do with whats on set. So the first day was actually a
relief, he laughs. The actors had turned up, we were there, and
we were doing it. There was a real sense of, Holy crap, this is happening!
Right up to that point of shooting it, I thought that it might not happen. There
are so many things with a film that can go wrong, so I was just relieved!
Considering the scope of his first feature film which comes replete with
crunching car chases, shootouts, robberies, betrayals, and even a hot pursuit
by helicopter this sense of relief is difficult to register, as Julius Avery
oozes a quiet confidence. He talks about Son Of A Gun with a complete lack
of hesitation, as if he knows every single frame of the film, back to front,
upside down, and side to side. Its his project from the ground up, and Averys
command of the material is obvious. The film is remarkably ambitious. It
begins with street criminal, JR (Brenton Thwaites) a young man with no
real family being frog-marched through the
shockingly sterile corridors of a stark, coldly
terrifying prison, where all of the inmates
look considerably older and more dangerous
than he does. JR, however, carries himself
with a twitchy sense of assurance, and has
the smarts to catch the attention of Brendan
Lynch (Ewan McGregor), a hold-up man
with a reputation so fierce that hes near untouchable inside the prisons four
foreboding walls. Absorbed into Lynchs small but hard-rolling crew, alongside
Sterlo (Matt Nable) and Merv (Eddie Baroo), JR escapes the kind of ugly fate
that waits cruelly for the prisons other young inmates. This protection status,
however, comes with a catch, as JR soon realises upon his release, when
Brendan Lynch calls his favours in. Suddenly thrust into a world of mobsters,
heists, and sexy young gangsters moll, Tasha (Alicia Vikander), JR is in over
his head, and struggling to stay one step ahead of an increasingly brutal and
dangerous game.
Its a big sprawling story, and despite his confidence, Son Of A Gun
remained a wild ride for Julius Avery. Id had experience with commercials
and short films, so Id worked with crew before, but it was more about the
pace and the sheer length of shooting, he sighs. We had 45 days, and the

MICHAEL SPICCIA: WE HAD TO

MAKE SURE THAT WE GAVE IT
EVERYTHING THAT WE HAD

58 FILMINK WWW.FILMINK.COM.AU

CHECK OUT
THE STORY
BEHIND THIS
IMAGE AFTER
THIS FEATURE!

longest that Id ever shot for before that was six days. Someone gave me
a piece of advice, which was that you can only prepare for the first week.
Beyond that, forget it.
Avery, however, had been preparing for Son Of A Gun for a very, very long
time. Rewind back to 2008, and Julius Avery is a commercials director with five
short films under his belt, each more rich, textured, and visually accomplished
than the last. Hed already directed the powerful short film, End Of Town,
which earned him the Emerging Australian Filmmaker Award at The Melbourne
International Film Festival in 2006, and was also awarded an Australian
Directors Guild Award in 2007. Averys sixth and most fully realised short film
yet, Jerrycan about a teenager who risks everything after being bullied into
making a life and death decision was then accepted into The Cannes Film
Festival, and ended up winning the Jury Prize for short films, one of the fests
top honours. Populated with extraordinary non-actors, exquisitely shot by gifted
cinematographer, Adam Arkapaw (who would go on to lens Animal Kingdom,
Snowtown, Top Of The Lake, and True Detective), and boasting a tone and
mood redolent of a filmmaker with far more experience, Jerrycan was instantly
buzzed about, and Avery was targeted as a director to watch.
Not surprisingly, the offers started rolling in, but unfortunately for Avery,
they took him down a few roads that meandered promisingly before coming
to halting dead ends. Cannes was a big learning curve, the director tells
FilmInk. I went over there with a film that I was proud of. Id spent a lot of
time with my comrade, Adam Arkapaw. We went to school together and built
up an aesthetic, and an idea of how Id like to make feature films. Cannes
opened up a lot of doors. I got an agent in America, and I went on a festival
tour with the film. We went to Sundance and Berlin too, and it opened up
a lot of doors. Jerrycan also scored at Sundance, where it picked up an
Honourable Mention, and at Australias AFI Awards, where it was named
Best Short Fiction Film. These awards cement that youre on the right path,
Avery said at the time. Its affirming to have it acknowledged that youre
actually succeeding with your stories. Unfortunately, Jerrycans success hit
at an inopportune time. It was the big financial crisis, Avery says today.
Everyone seemed to be excited by the prospect of working with me, but
they were saying, Go away and do a first feature, and then well talk. I did a
lot of meetings, but it was a weird period in America. It was hard to get indie
films up. I was after a medium-level budget film, and they didnt really exist
anymore. It was tricky.
Still hot from Jerrycan, Avery plugged away, initially to no avail. I had
ideas floating around, the director says. One was a little more fully formed,
and the other was just an idea. I went with the more fully-formed one, and
that ended up not getting up. I was so depressed by the whole thing. I was
like, Fuck! What am I doing here? But I eventually got over it. Avery then
took another pitch to producer, Timothy White (who had been a major player
on films like Two Hands, Ned Kelly, Gettin Square, and Angel Baby), which
ultimately ended up developing into Son Of A Gun. He loved it, and it explored
the themes that I was working with in
the other film anyway its essentially
about a kid who wanted to be something
bigger, and whos a bit of a rogue. Hes
a lone wolf looking for his wolf pack,
Avery laughs. JR is very much like the
character in my script that fell over.
Ironically, it was around this time that
Avery found his own one-man wolf pack,
which came in the form of fellow filmmaker, Michael Spiccia, whod been
making music videos for bands like Evermore, Jet, The Black Ryder, Grinspoon,
Jack Ladder, and Bob Evans. Like Avery, Spiccia whod also worked as a
designer at Bazmark, alongside Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin was
born and bred in Western Australia, but later moved to Melbourne. We
met through mutual friends in the industry, Spiccia tells FilmInk. Were
from the same town, and we grew up in Perth and shared similar circles of
mates there, but somehow we never managed to cross paths until we both
moved east. Jerrycan really resonated with me, and when we finally met, we
connected through our mutual love and interest in a number of similar themes
that we wanted to explore in our films. Not to mention that were often
mistaken as brothers, Spiccia laughs.
While he was still in the process of getting his first feature up, Avery
penned the script for the 2012 short film, Yardbird, which Spiccia directed.
Again shot by Adam Arkapaw, and imbued with the same kind of earthy
lyricism which drove Jerrycan, the thirteen-minute short tracks a young

JULIUS AVERY:
YOU CAN ONLY PREPARE
FOR THE FIRST WEEK.
BEYOND THAT, FORGET IT.

WWW.FILMINK.COM.AU FILMINK 59

Photography & Concept: Alina Gozina, Produced by: Mim Davis & Alina Gozina, Assistants: Pascale Roux de Bezieux & Louis Saggus, Stylist: Danielle Alexander,
Hair stylist: Cameron Rains, Make Up Artist: Deb Muller, Post Production: House of Retouching. www.houseofretouching.com

SON OF A GUN

SON OF A GUN

BRENTON THWAITES:
IT WAS MY FIRST LEAD
IN A DRAMA, WHICH
WAS VERY COOL. IT WAS
AN OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY
A DARKER CHARACTER,
AND TO ENTER THIS REALLY
TWISTED WORLD.

smalltown girl who takes on the local bullies that torment

her father. Starkly beautiful and wonderfully earthy, Yardbird
was accepted into The Cannes Film Festival, where Spiccia
arrived for the first time, and Avery once again tasted the
excitement that had come with Jerrycan. Cannes was
totally surreal, Spiccia tells FilmInk. It was a special
time, and one that I was so honoured to be a part of.
You never make a film thinking that youre going to end
up somewhere like that. I have fond memories of seeing
Michael Haneke receiving the Palm dOr for Amour, and
fellow friend, Ben Zeitlin, receiving the Camera dOr for
Beasts Of The Southern Wild.
But for Spiccia and Avery who had set up the
directors collective, Bridle Path Films The Cannes Film
Festival was about more than just their stellar short,
Yardbird. It was where Son Of A Gun really started to
take shape. Julius had been writing Son Of A Gun for a
few years, and hed sent me a copy of the script once
he became happy with it, Spiccia says. Id been aware
that he was working on something special, and respected
his place to share it once he felt that he was ready. I was
aware of the themes and the basic idea of the film, but
once I read it, I couldnt wait to start talking about it, and
ideally help him make it. It was a real page turner.
Eventually on board Son Of A Gun as executive producer
and second unit director, Spiccia not only luxuriated in the
warm response afforded Yardbird at Cannes, but also got to
watch as Averys feature film started to take shape. The
first week of Cannes was dominated by the marketplace,
where everyone from around the world comes to try to get
their film up and going, Spiccia says. Its kinda like Wall
Street for filmmakers, but set amongst a much more exotic
setting; everything is taking place in grand hotels and on
yachts on the beach. I was fortunate enough to experience
this vicariously through Julius and Tim White, who were in
the early stages of getting Son Of A Gun up and running. It
was a great insight into how it all worked.
With the market excited about the collection of
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muscular filmmakers coming out of Australia, like David

Michod (Animal Kingdom) and Justin Kurzel (Snowtown),
Avery with his tough talking tale of prisons and heists
was again a hot property, and he and White eventually
drew in a host of investors, including, of course, Screen
Australia, who had shown a lot of faith in Son Of A Gun.
We took it to the American Film Market, and did a bunch
of sales, Avery explains. Screen Australia isnt a producer,
but they put it all together in their calculator, and said,
Yeah, it works, lets fund it. We got money out of Screen
Australia and private investment and gap financing out of
Canada and all parts of the world.
At this stage, a major part of the puzzle was Ewan
McGregor, who coincidentally shared an American agent
with Avery. The director felt that the Scotsman would be
perfect for the role of nuanced hard-man, Brendan Lynch.
The character is not just this malevolent, one-dimensional,
badass guy, Avery says. Hes also got this charm. He
grooms people and makes them fall under his spell. I
wanted someone who could bring a real dimension to
it, and I thought of Ewan immediately. Avery passed an
impassioned letter onto the actor, in which the director
talked about his own troubled childhood, and the way that
it had impacted upon all of his films, including the script for
Son Of A Gun, which he also sent. I was putting myself
out there and being vulnerable, which is just what actors
do when they perform, Avery explains. So I sent him the
letter, and it happened pretty quickly after that. Ewan really
responded to that letter. Subsequently, he got on the phone,
and we talked about what it is to be a man, and films that
we loved. All the juice came from that letter and that story.
Though Son Of A Gun is his debut feature, there is
already an auteur-like thematic streak sliding through
Averys work. Many of his shorts focus on children who
are lost and alone, often neglected by their parents while
desperately reaching outward for their love. Themes of
isolation and bullying are rife, and its no coincidence that
Son Of A Gun has at its narrative core a lost boy looking

for a father figure. As Avery tells FilmInk with surprising

candour, the film is very much dredged from his own
childhood. Ive been looking at these characters who
are in search of father figures and connection and a place
of belonging, and it all came from where I grew up, the
director reveals. I grew up in the country in WA, and I
was very isolated, so theres a lot of alienation in my films.
I lost my father when I was six-years-old; he was in a
terrible car accident. Growing up, I only had my mother, so
I was always seeking out father figures. Id hang out with
the older boys, and Id always get in trouble. Thats where
Jerrycan came from.
Its where Son Of A Gun came from too. The
relationship between the films JR and Brendan Lynch
came from this relationship that I had with this older
guy when I was a kid, Avery explains. He was quite a
Fagin-type character. Obviously, in the film, they go on a
big crime spree with shoot-outs, and my childhood was
nothing as exciting as that! But I was twelve-years-old, and
I was looking for a father, and he was a bit of a bad guy. He
was cool, and I looked up to him and sought his approval.
I learned in later years that what he was up to wasnt
that great. He was bad, and thats where the central
relationship in the film was drawn from.
To play his on-screen kinda sorta alter-ego, Avery
tapped 25-year-old Australian actor, Brenton Thwaites.
Wed gone through a lengthy period of casting, and
Brenton was always the frontrunner, the director explains.
He was up for everything at that stage. He was one of
the hottest young things going round in LA at the time, so
we were lucky to lock him in. Like many local thesps, the
young Cairns-born performer had kicked things off with
a recurring part on Home And Away, before soon landing
the lead role in the dubious Blue Lagoon: The Awakening
telemovie. Thwaites recently starred opposite Angelina
Jolie in Maleficent; featured in The Signal, from promising
filmmaker, William Eubank; and the sci-fi thriller, The Giver,
for director, Phillip Noyce, opposite Jeff Bridges and Meryl

Streep. Hes just wrapped the drama, Ride, for writer/

director/star, Helen Hunt; and was back in Australia on the
big budget epic, Gods Of Egypt, for Alex Proyas. So, how is
Brenton Thwaites handling all the attention being directed
his way at the moment, not to mention the red carpet
premieres and press conferences? They dont teach
you about that at drama school, says the young actor,
plodding up the stairs to his Gold Coast apartment, where
hes currently enjoying a quick break. You learn how to
act, but all that other stuff? Well, you learn that as you go
along. Its good fun.
When Son Of A Gun started shooting, Thwaites had
wrapped his role in Maleficent, as well as the low budget
thriller, Oculus, and the Aussie cricketing comedy, Save
Your Legs! It was my first lead in a drama, which was
very cool, he says. It was an opportunity to play a darker
character, and to enter this really twisted world. Part of
that twisted world involved shooting in Casuarina Prison,
a fully operational maximum security prison just outside of
Perth. I felt how I looked, Thwaites says of his decidedly
unsettled countenance during the film. It was scary.
There was a dark feeling to that prison. I dont know what
it was, but as soon as we stepped inside the gates the
crew, the actors, the director, the producer everyone
was on edge. It was actually a stimulus. I was there and
living it. Just before every scene, I had to ask myself the
question, Where am I, and how do I feel? And that would
lead me through most of those prison scenes. It was
more of a challenge for Ewan, who was entering the same
environment, but had to be king of the jungle. It was a
little easier for me because my character is going through
similar emotions to what I was going through.
Were they kept wholly separate from the prisoners?
There was passing contact, Thwaites replies. I dont
really know the ins and outs about what they did to secure
our safety. Ewan McGregor is well known. Theres probably
not a kid in there who hasnt seen Star Wars, so they had
to be careful. On one of the days that we shot, there was
a guard strike, and we were shooting in there when it was
locked down. There were about three guards with us when
we were shooting as opposed to the fifteen who were

usually with us, which was a bit scary. I dont know how
much of that was legal, or how much should be said in an
interview, by the way! But thats how it was. Nothing really
happened. I felt pretty safe, mainly because the extras
and actors in the movie were three times as gnarly as the
actual inmates. With guys like Eddie Baroo and Matt Nable,
we were pretty safe.
As well as shooting in prison, Avery also prepared
Thwaites by hooking him up with a few young guys not
unlike the character that he plays in the film. In order to
play this character, there was a lot more than myself that
I had to draw on, says Thwaites. I was introduced to
guys not much older than me who had been to prison at a
young age, and who had experienced a rough beginning to
the world. It was cool to talk to them and hear about their
philosophies and morals and little things like that.
And what was it like working with Ewan McGregor?
He would always look after me, Thwaites replies. This
was still one of my first movies. I was nervous, and I found
it hard to trust myself. He was always there encouraging
me to try different things, and telling me to ask for another
take if I didnt feel right about it. He checked if I wanted to
change the dialogue to make sure that we both felt right.
It can easily go the other way. An actor can say, Youre on
your own, man! or The next takes mine or Wheres my
close-up? But he was the opposite he was so giving,
friendly, and kind. We spent a lot of time together hanging
out, playing music, and training together.
Working with Ewan McGregor in a Perth prison is
certainly a long way from Home & Aways Summer Bay, but
the long running TV soap has proved to be a fertile breeding
ground for Australian actors, with the likes of the shows
Chris Hemsworth, Melissa George, Ryan Kwanten, Isla
Fisher, and Isabel Lucas all going on to Hollywood careers.
What do young actors get out of Home & Away? You get a
Visa out of it, Thwaites laughs. You get a lot of publicity,
and you can use that publicity to get a Visa. Thats the reality
of the situation. But its also a great place to get a lot of
hours in front of the camera. The more time that you spend
in front of the camera, the more relaxed you become. You
start to trust yourself and take risks and make crazy choices

which can fail and succeed. For me, it was a place where
I got to work with great people. I was quite young and it
helped me to get more comfortable in front of the camera.
That ease in front of the camera certainly shows
in Son Of A Gun, with Thwaites a magnetic and highly
charismatic presence despite his relative inexperience on
the big screen at the time of the shoot. He certainly wasnt
the only newbie on set, however, with Julius Avery also
feeling his way into the role of feature film director. Ewan
McGregor always made me feel like I knew what I was
doing though, which is important for a first-time director,
he says. There are moments when you second guess
yourself, and he was always supportive and made me feel
like I knew what I was doing. He did that for Brenton as
well. That kind of generosity goes a long way in terms of
setting the tone for the rest of set.
That set, however, was not without its problems. It goes
without saying that no film is easy to make, says executive
producer, Michael Spiccia. You have to keep pushing and
striving, and you have to compromise to make sure that what
you envisage ends up on the screen. It was an incredible ride
filled with a lot of challenges, which we learnt a lot from. As
Julius and I were both from WA, there was something
exciting and weird about us heading home to make his debut
feature. This was a story that took place on a pretty big stage,
and we had to make sure that we gave it everything that we
had, so it could roam and live in its best light.
Son Of A Gun does more than that: it roars and thunders.
Its a tough, affecting, and wildly entertaining film, and its
just the beginning for Julius Avery, who has no intention
of curbing his cinematic investigations into the theme of
fathers and sons, and what it is to be a man. I havent
finished exploring those themes, because for me, filmmaking
is like a very expensive form of therapy, the director laughs.
I get to look at myself and understand myself better
through the films that I make. Thats why I do it.
Son Of A Gun is released on October 16
and is reviewed on Page 75. n
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SON OF A GUN:
THE PHOTO SHOOT
When she was charged with creating a photograph of Australian
filmmakers and collaborators, JULIUS AVERY and MICHAEL SPICCIA,
photographer, ALINA GOZINA, somehow ended in the middle of
nowhere. BY ERIN FREE

hat the hell are two young, up-and-coming

Australian filmmakers doing stranded in a vast
desert expanse, sweat dripping down their
furrowed brows, their bare feet crusted in sand,
and incongruously clad in battered, decidedly
worse-for-wear tuxedos? Well, its all about The
Cannes Film Festivalsort of. Six years before he directed his debut
feature film, Son Of A Gun an absorbing thriller about a young tough
(Brenton Thwaites) caught in the web of Australias most wanted
criminal (Ewan McGregor) Perth-born Julius Averys short film,
Jerrycan (about a teenager who risks everything after being bullied into
making a life and death decision) was accepted into Cannes, and ended
up winning the Jury Prize for short films, one of the fests top honours.
Avery then returned to The Cannes Film Festival in 2012 with his friend
and fellow filmmaker, Michael Spiccia, with whom he had formed the
directors collective, Bridle Path Films. The pair had collaborated with
Avery writing the script, and Spiccia directing on the short film,
Yardbird, which tracks a smalltown girl who takes on the local bullies
that torment her father. The film received a warm welcome, and
Avery and Spiccia were caught up in all the craziness that Cannes has
to offer. Cannes was totally surreal, Spiccia tells FilmInk. It was a
special time, and one that I was so honoured to be a part of. You never
make a film thinking that youre going to end up somewhere like that. I
have fond memories of seeing Michael Haneke receiving the Palm dOr
for Amour, and fellow friend, Ben Zeitlin, receiving the Camera dOr for
Beasts Of The Southern Wild. Adds Julius Avery: Cannes was a big
learning curve, and it opened up a lot of doors.
When meeting with Julius Avery and Michael Spiccia to discuss
concepts for a photograph, creative shooter and director in her own
right, Alina Gozina who also shot the film poster for Son Of A Gun
featuring Ewan McGregor and Brenton Thwaites and additional PR
stills for the film was instantly inspired by their stories about being
swept up in the famous craziness that is The Cannes Film Festival.
After speaking with the guys about their craft, their collaboration,
and their journey into filmmaking, I had an idea to shoot them in the
Australian desert, still wearing their tuxedos from the glamorous
Cannes Film Festival, Gozina tells FilmInk. My idea behind the photo
was this: when your film is selected into Cannes (in Michaels case)
and wins Cannes (in Julius case), your world turns upside down.
Its overwhelming, and its a whirlwind affair. But then when the
festival and all of the hype is over, you are leftfeeling like youve just
been dropped off in the desert against your will, and youre all alone.
The only reminder of whats just happened are the tuxedos all the
glamour of Cannes has evaporated so quickly, and now youre like,
What do I do now? How do I find my way back home? How do I get
back to my life the way that it was before Cannes? We worked really
hard to get it just right. We feel that it tells the whole story of Julius
and Michaels experiences in Cannes in just one picture.
For more on award winning photographer,
Alina Gozina, head to www.alinagozina.com. n

Photography & Concept: Alina Gozina Produced by: Mim Davis & Alina Gozina
Assistants: Pascale Roux de Bezieux & Louis Saggus Stylist: Danielle Alexander Hair stylist: Cameron
Rains Make Up Artist: Deb Muller Post Production: House of Retouching www.houseofretouching.com

DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE

DIGITAL EXC
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HE HAD IT ALL: THE YOUNG BAZ LUHRMANN DIRECTS CROCODILE CREEK

hats his name again? people kept asking.

It was May 1986, and the production crew
for the community musical, Crocodile Creek,
had gathered at Rockhamptons most
prominent pub, a turreted, high-Victorian
confection overlooking the sluggish Fitzroy
River. They were waiting for the director, who was one
of the theatrical professionals from outside hired to
share their skills with a group of local amateurs. Hed
been highly recommended, but they hadnt yet met him.
They didnt have a clue what to expect. Finally, delivered
from the airport, he walked into the meeting: so young, so
charismatic, and so exotic. Even after a long international
flight, he carried himself like a Greek god, someone later
said. The rooms energy levels changed. The production
team introduced themselves to the new arrival and
began to relax. But then the jet-lagged director turned to
composer, Felix Meagher another outside professional
and said, Your second act doesnt work. I was reading
it on the plane. Where are the Chinese in the play?
Suddenly, it was clear: this whats-his-name was someone
out of the ordinary.
Only 23-years-old at the time, Baz Luhrmann came to
regional Queensland after a drama festival in Bratislava,
in former Czechoslovakia. A recent graduate of Sydneys
National Institute Of Dramatic Art (NIDA), he had been
declared Best Director at the festival, and accepted the
Best Production Award for an early version of Strictly
Ballroom, the stage play that he would later, of course,
turn into a hit film. After these triumphs, Luhrmann could
have gone home to Sydney and developed the play further.
Instead, he says, Crocodile Creek lured him with its promise
of the sheer adventure of going to an unknown place with
unknown people to try and create a piece of theatre.
Now one of Australias most prominent and polarising
film directors, Baz Luhrmann raises astronomical budgets
for stage and screen extravaganzas, and collaborates
with loyal performers and production staff to realise his
elaborate, stylised visions. But what about Crocodile Creek?
One of the earliest productions of Luhrmanns career, it is
almost unknown. For the past twelve months, I have talked
to people who were involved, and I learned that Luhrmanns
approach to this obscure production strongly connects with
his current practices as an international filmmaker. Here are
eight characteristics of the Luhrmann style of directing, as
reflected by people involved with Crocodile Creek as well
as those who have worked with him on more recent, better
known projects.

HE FORMS LASTING RELATIONSHIPS

Its well known that behind Baz Luhrmanns elaborately

designed productions is a team of trusted collaborators,
some of whom have been with him almost since the
beginning. For example, he first worked with screenwriter,
Craig Pearce, on Strictly Ballroom (1992), and the two are
still collaborating. Another long-term creative partner is
choreographer, John Cha Cha OConnell, whose multiple
Luhrmann projects also began with Strictly Ballroom,
while the directors wife Oscar winning costume and
production designer, Catherine Martin is one of his
greatest creative supporters.
When Luhrmann landed in Rockhampton, however, his
sharp opening comments to composer, Felix Meagher,
could have destroyed any potential working relationship.
Instead, the pair bonded over common interests. They
found, for instance, that they could discuss renowned
Australian composer, Percy Graingers music by the hour.
Meagher recalls telephoning his family in Victoria soon
afterwards and saying, Ive met this director called Baz.

He doesnt think the second act of Crocodile Creek works.

I might have found someone as mad about music and
theatre as myself.
Meagher is six years older than Luhrmann, and
describes his younger self as very energetic, and
very intense. Already a veteran of community music
activities in Geelong, Port Fairy, and Alice Springs, he had
accidentally discovered his talent for these kinds of projects
after completing a degree in classical music composition
at the University Of Melbourne. That was one thing
that I was very gifted at, he says. I was able to make a
sophisticated piece of music that was accessible to listen
to, and that was possible for a community group to play.
The Rockhampton Regional Council had commissioned
Meagher for their musical project. When he arrived in
Rockhampton three months before Luhrmann it
wasnt even clear what this community production should
be, just that it should showcase the councils Pilbeam
Theatre, while offering opportunities for locals to learn from
imported performance professionals. Meagher soon settled
on Crocodile Creek, a play script by local writer, Barbara
Birchall. The play drew on little known historical events. In
1867, anti-Chinese violence erupted on the Crocodile Creek
goldfield, about thirty kilometres west of Rockhampton.
Birchall overlaid the true events with a romance between
Molly McKenna, an Irish girl, and Mickee, a Chinese boy.
As he began writing, Meaghers songs captured Birchalls
characters, and her multicultural goldfield community was
transformed into lyrics and music.
Finding the right director wasnt easy, but Jim Sharman

they themselves can hardly imagine: Kidman singing and

dancing in Moulin Rouge!, for example. Joel Edgerton, who
played Tom Buchanan in The Great Gatsby, told FilmInk in
2014 that he didnt see himself in the role. But then, he
said, Baz showed me photographs and started seeing in
me what I was not seeing in myself.
In Rockhampton, the Crocodile Creek performers
presented a particular challenge for a director: many had
not previously performed on-stage before. Complicating
the situation, Luhrmanns other projects meant that he
came and went. Meagher, however, had the skills and
experience to support the neophytes, and as Luhrmanns
creative collaborator, he was now guided by a rough sense
of the directors vision of the production. By the time that
Luhrmann returned for six weeks of intense rehearsals, 120
people were involved. If they werent in the cast or crew
or orchestra, they were making costumes or building sets
at the production base set up in Rockhamptons School Of
Arts building.
Fiona Benjamin, who played Molly McKenna, the lead
female role in Crocodile Creek, was a Year 12 student.
She had studied music and competed in eisteddfods for
years, but this was something completely new. At first, she
found that the scale of her role was overwhelming, as
she juggled school, driving lessons, and rehearsals even
extra coaching to instill an Irish accent. She describes Felix
Meagher as inspirationalhe was incredibly warm and
fun to be around. In one way, that was understandable,
she says: Singing was more of my forte than acting,
so this felt easier for me. Even so, Meaghers songs

BAZ LUHRMANN: CROCODILE CREEK LURED ME WITH

ITS PROMISE OF THE SHEER ADVENTURE OF GOING TO AN
UNKNOWN PLACE WITH UNKNOWN PEOPLE TO TRY AND
CREATE A PIECE OF THEATRE.
Luhrmanns mentor at NIDA, and the co-creator of The
Rocky Horror Show recommended him. Luhrmann was
keen, and he figured out a way to schedule Crocodile Creek
around his other commitments. As Meagher began working
with the young director, he became aware that Luhrmanns
abilities complemented his own. He was the link that I
really needed, he says. I could do the community stuff,
I could score for the orchestra, and I could get everyone
involved, but I didnt have the storytelling experience or
expertise to actually pull a story together. Whether I would
have figured it out for myself, I dont know.
Although Meagher has built his own busy musical
career Barry Vs. Kelly, his musical exploration of the
relationship between Ned Kelly and the judge who
condemned him to death, recently premiered at Old
Melbourne Gaol he and Luhrmann have worked together,
on and off, ever since. After Crocodile Creek, they
embarked on another of Meaghers historical works, The
Pure Merino Fandango, which premiered at Port Fairy Folk
Festival in March 1987. The following year, they created
a ninety-minute opera, Lake Lost, for The National Opera
Workshop. More recently, Meagher contributed additional
music to Luhrmanns 2008 film, Australia.

HE INSPIRES PERFORMERS

Performers like Leonardo DiCaprio and Nicole Kidman work

with Luhrmann over and over. Baz just knows me, from
the first time that we met. I will do anything for him,
Nicole Kidman said in Vanity Fair. They often say that
Luhrmann is able to draw from them performances that

challenged her, because they were dramatic and less

melodic than I had sung in the past. When it came to
acting, her experience was that Luhrmann worked more
organically than her previous drama teachers. She
appreciated the way that he coaxed the performance from
her, simultaneously supporting and pushing in ways that
other teachers hadnt done before.
Craig Ilott, also in Year 12, played Mickee, the Chinese
boy. Ilott today describes his younger self as a pretty
cocky kid. His family had no connection whatsoever with
the arts, but he always had a strong affinity and sensitivity
to music. Once he was cast, he enjoyed the entire
process. I dont remember it being an easy time at home
or school, so heading to rehearsals was a real highlight,
he says.
Christopher Saunders, aged fourteen, loved music
and had already taken seven years of singing lessons.
After being accepted into the chorus, Christopher and his
mum encouraged his father, Barry Saunders, to audition.
Barry travelling Cadbury chocolate representative by
day, rocknroll bandleader by night was startled to win
the pivotal role of Black Ned McKenna, the proud Irishman
who inflames the anti-Chinese riots. Young Christopher
revelled in the intense rehearsals. We all enjoyed it so very
much that we put our heart and soul into it, he says. We
would have done anything for Baz and Felix. They were so
committed and driven. We were all swept up in the piece.
He too was nudged into new territory. I remember Baz
wanting me to dance, which I embraced as he had total
confidence in me.
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HE HAD IT ALL: THE YOUNG BAZ LUHRMANN DIRECTS CROCODILE CREEK

A rare still from the stage production of Crocodile Creek

Annette Poole, cast member of Crocodile Creek, in Rockhamptons Morning Bulletin

on August 8, 1986 (Central Queensland Collection, Rockhampton Regional Council)

Baz Luhrmann and Felix Meagher

(Photograph courtesy Opera Australia)
Bouldercombe Gorge Falls, which served as inspiration for Crocodile
Creeks on-stage waterfall, a pivotal setting in the plays narrative

The gateway to Rockhampton

If Luhrmann wanted a new song, Meagher would

write it overnight. Even the volunteers displayed the same
dedication, sewing costumes and building sets through
the night, and then going to their regular jobs the next
morning. Such was the power of this inspiration that it
changed the lives of several young cast members. After
Crocodile Creek, Craig Ilott helped found Rockhamptons
first independent theatre company, and then moved to
Sydney. Now an award-winning actor, director and creator
of shows like The Famous Spiegeltents Smoke And
Mirrors, he reflects that Baz stayed a wonderful mentor
for a number of years after that. He has such an amazing
and infectious energy. I cant imagine doing what Im doing
now without having had that experience.
Playing Molly convinced Fiona Benjamin to give up her
plans for a journalism degree. Instead, she pursued acting
at the Queensland University Of Technology, as well as
vocal studies at the Queensland Conservatorium. On-stage
in London and Australia, she played in musicals like Les
Miserables, and took leading roles in Crazy For You and
Seven Brides For Seven Brothers.
Chris Saunders, meanwhile, is now an international
opera singer and recording artist who is as passionate
today about the stage and music as that fourteen-year-old
boy performing in Rockhampton.

HE SEEKS AUTHENTICITY THROUGH RESEARCH

When Baz Luhrmann arrived in Rockhampton, he was

already concerned about how Crocodile Creek told the
Chinese story. Local people told him that Rockhampton had
no Chinese residents. Not convinced, he made an effort to
connect with Rockhamptons hidden Chinese population.
It wasnt too long before I was meeting with wonderful old
Chinese couples, he says. I discovered that there was, in
fact, an immense subculture of Chinese in Rockhampton.
Were there any misgivings about casting Craig Ilott,
rather than a Chinese actor, for the important part of
Mickee? Not at all, says Dr. Paul Khoo, Rockhampton
gynecologist and long-time office-bearer for The Chinese
Association. I dont think there were any Chinese kids
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BAZ LUHRMANN: IN A SIMPLE WAY, WE MADE A VERY SIMPLE

COMMUNITY MUSICAL ABOUT A VERY GENUINE ISSUE.
interested in acting or singing, he told me. They did it as
a hobby, but they didnt see it as a career. Khoo himself
was the only real Chinese person on the stage, playing an
old Chinese doctor.
The stage design, too, reflected an actual locale.
Sue Hanrahan, daughter of playwright, Barbara Birchall,
told me how a group, including Luhrmann, made a trip
to Bouldercombe, the township on the site of the old
Crocodile Creek diggings. The stage waterfall, where Molly
and Mickee have their trysts, is based on Bouldercombe
Gorge Falls.
Today, Luhrmanns incorporation of authentic
elements into his flamboyant productions is frequently
misunderstood. He creates melodramas, after all, and
celebrates artificiality and heightened emotion, rather than
factual accuracy. Nevertheless, Luhrmann often defends
his research, and uses authenticity as a defence for
certain aesthetic decisions. After Romeo + Juliet, for
instance, he took part in a 1998 film directors symposium
on Shakespeare films, organised by Cineaste journal. The
way that his actors spoke Shakespeares lines, he said,
was based on solid research into the Elizabethan stage
and Anthony Burgess linguistic investigations, as well
as discussions with Sir Peter Hall, founder of The Royal
Shakespeare Company.
Joel Edgerton suggested the function of this seemingly
quixotic commitment to authenticity when he revealed, in
a May 2013 interview, a hidden detail in his costumes for
The Great Gatsby. The fabric lining of each of his suits had
a skull and bones motif, referring to the most prestigious
secret society in Yale, which The Great Gatsbys Tom and
Nick both attended. Edgerton said that the subtle detail
helped him find the character. And thats the point,
Luhrmann explained at the Cineaste symposium. As with
any story, he said, if you dont understand the world in
which the text was generated, and if you dont have an
absolute, totally and utterly thorough understanding of the

history, culture and cosmology of everything about that

world, then you are interpreting the text in a vacuum.
For Luhrmann, recreating Crocodile Creek on stage
and, especially, connecting with Rockhamptons hidden
Chinese community, added integrity and depth to Crocodile
Creek. Working with this part of the town, and unearthing
these facts, was a thrill, he told me, and in a simple way,
we made a very simple community musical about a very
genuine issue.

HE IS ACROSS ALL AREAS OF THE PRODUCTION

In Rockhampton in 1986, Baz Luhrmanns insights

influenced casting, music, timing, and pace, getting the
best out of the cast. Sometimes he asked Felix Meagher to
rework a song so that the music itself would help an actor
realise the performance that Luhrmann wanted. I was
stunned at how many times it turned out that Baz was right
and I was wrong, Meagher told me.
Chris Saunders remembers the way that Luhrmanns
vision touched all aspects of the production. He asked
that, when we did something as simple as moving a set,
we did it rhythmically so it wasnt clumsy and stilted.
Everything had a purpose, and he certainly had an eye for
overseeing every aspect of the piece. Baz didnt miss a
trick. One night I wore the wrong shoes in a scene, and he
called me out and made sure that I had the correct shoes
the next night.
Luhrmann famously calibrates all production elements
to achieve results that one critic calls lurid, shallow,
glamorous, trashy, tasteless, seductive, sentimental, aloof
and artificial. Thats Joshua Rothmans review of The
Great Gatsby in The New Yorker. He goes on, by the way,
to say that those qualities are precisely what make the
film an excellent adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgeralds novel.
And if it is not humanly possible for Luhrmann himself to do
it well, he has those trusted team members who willingly
share his vision.

Baz Luhrmann on the set of The Great Gatsby

Composer, Felix Meagher,

in Rockhamptons
Morning Bulletin on August
11, 1986. (Central Queensland
Collection, Rockhampton
Regional Council)

An original miners right bill from the Crocodile Creek goldfields

HE IS HARDWORKING AND TENACIOUS, WITH

MULTIPLE PROJECTS GOING AT ANY ONE TIME

After working with Luhrmann on a number of projects,

Felix Meagher says that hes never met anyone whos
worked harder. Baz has an amazing ability to persist. Of
course, the pace of Luhrmanns life has accelerated since
1986. It was already intense back then, but many recent
profiles of Luhrmann describe the systems that he has in
place to keep track of his ideas, commitments, projects,
and dates. In a 2013 Sydney Morning Herald article, for
instance, Garry Maddox wrote about Luhrmanns home
office with its giant Post-it stickers, calendars, leather-bound
notebooks, and multiple dictaphones for capturing notes on
creative projects, thank-you letters, messages to corporate
types, things to do, or just ideas to be typed up by his
team. Martin Brown, producer and art director on several
Luhrmann films, told Maddox that Luhrmann doesnt have
an off switch. Theres no downtime. Never. Literally, never.

HE IS A PERFECTIONIST WHO KEEPS TWEAKING

Luhrmann is notorious for his perfectionism, which

frustrates and exhausts cast and crew members, not to
mention creating cost blowouts and delaying openings. But,
as the 1986 experience suggests, the tweaks, changes, and
endless repetitions are efforts to find the emotional core
of every line, and every scene. In Rockhampton, Luhrmann
wanted changes. Baz prefers a collaborative style of
working in which all players are involved in the process,
says Sue Hanrahan, the daughter of playwright, Barbara
Birchall. This meant rewrites every night. Birchall, in
collaboration with Meagher, had already significantly revised
her script, and when Luhrmann suggested that the original
happy ending be replaced by a tragic one, the sunny-natured
Birchall was at first disappointed. But then her response
was fearless and energetic, her daughter remembers. The
play became Romeo And Juliet on the Crocodile.
Then, during rehearsals, Meagher noticed with surprise
that Luhrmann seemed stuck on a particular scene. It was
an important incident in the story, in which stray words
ignite the riot. But there were lots of other scenes to work

on, Meagher says. Singers and actors werent getting a

chance to go over their lines. But Luhrmann knew what
he was doing, telling Meagher, If they get this scene, they
will get the rest easily. They will surprise themselves.
Right up to the week before opening, the shows
structure was uncertain, as scenes were shuffled and
reworked. Meagher worried that the scoring wasnt right.
When the first night was over, it was clear that somehow
all the performances had grown and melded since the
previous rehearsal. Meagher was thrilled. It was absolutely
astonishing, he tells me. Theres no other way to put it.

HE HAS A REPERTOIRE OF THEMES

TO WHICH HE RETURNS

Surprisingly, Crocodile Creek resonates with themes that

appear repeatedly in Luhrmann productions. A youthful love
affair across cultural boundaries as in Crocodile Creek
is also part of Strictly Ballroom, Romeo + Juliet, Moulin
Rouge! and The Great Gatsby. The kind of generational
conflict present in the community musical is also a feature
of Strictly Ballroom and Romeo + Juliet. And Crocodile
Creek explores Australias multicultural identity, as do
Strictly Ballroom and, of course, Australia. Coincidence?
Possiblypossibly not.

HE CHARMS

Sure, you dont get to be a big director without putting

somebody offside, and Baz Luhrmann cops much criticism,
sometimes even from those who work closely with him.
Moulin Rouge! producer, Martin Brown, sounds a little
ambivalent in a 2013 Sydney Morning Herald article:
Hes always convincing, always persuading, always
cajoling, always bludgeoning when required, and always
getting people to do what he wants. In the same article,
Luhrmann admits: I exhaust people so much. But he is
also charismatic. He works in a way thats very personal,
a former crew member is quoted in a 2013 Sydney
Morning Herald article. Men and women will say that hes
very seductive.
In Rockhampton, people remember Luhrmanns

charisma, with the director inviting them to give everything

to the production. But they also remember his kindness.
On the Sunday before the premiere, playwright, Barbara
Birchalls husband, Cec, passed away. They had been
married for 46 years, and Cec had sparked Birchalls
interest in Crocodile Creek history in the first place. Their
daughter, Susan Hanrahan, explains that Cecs death was
especially poignant for Barbara. The creative highlight of
her life was perversely juxtaposed with the emotional low
point of her life, Hanrahan says. Luhrmann suggested
delaying the opening, but the playwright refused, not
wanting the hardworking cast and crew to lose even one
night from the short season. So the premiere, on Thursday,
August 21, was dedicated to the memory of Cec Birchall.
Fiona Benjamin remembers preparing nervously for that
first night. Luhrmann helped her with her mascara, because
she had never worn makeup before. And Barry Saunders,
who played villain, Black Ned McKenna, talks about another
small thing that meant a great deal. Saunders was still on
stage during the final performance when the director, on
his way to his next commitment, left for the airport. In the
car, Luhrmann jotted a message on the back of a takeaway
food receipt, to be given to Saunders when he came offstage. It said: A note of thanks to Barry and Chris, a great
father and son team. Nearly thirty years later, Saunders
still treasures that scrap of paper.
Notwithstanding the glamour of Luhrmanns subsequent
career, Crocodile Creek was meaningful to him, too. When
he looks back on Rockhampton, Luhrmann says that it was
one of the most spiritually enriching experiences of my
life. Its extraordinary how talent can be right under your
nose, and most of my job is just helping people reveal it.
Luhrmann agrees that he approached the non-professionals
and modest production in Rockhampton in the same way
that he now approaches multimillion-dollar professional
productions. Ive always worked in the act of storytelling
in all sorts of media, he says. I had done intense training.
The fundamentals are the same. n
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COLLISION
COURSE:
WHEN HOLLYWOOD MAKES
THE SAME MOVIE TWICE
Hollywoods writers, directors, and studio executives have an unfortunate habit of having the same great and sometimes not so great idea twice, as these
twelve examples amply and repetitively prove. BY JOHN ROEBUCK

COLLISION COURSE: WHEN HOLLYWOOD MAKES THE SAME MOVIE TWICE

PLATOON (1986) AND FULL METAL JACKET (1987)

TOMBSTONE (1993) AND WYATT EARP (1994)

KUNDUN (1997) AND

SEVEN YEARS IN TIBET (1997)

ANTZ (1998) AND A BUGS LIFE (1998)

After enjoying rare commercial success with The Shining, legendarily enigmatic
director, Stanley Kubrick, turned his attention to the horrors of Vietnam.
Unfortunately, Oliver Stone, who at the time was enjoying a meteoric rise through
Hollywood thanks to the success of Midnight Express, Scarface (both of which he
wrote) and Salvador (which he wrote and directed), had the same idea. Stone had
served in Vietnam during the late sixties, and approached his film with a sense
of gritty realism. The strength of Stones semi-autobiographical Platoon is in the
sense of kinship that it conveys between its central group of soldiers. Contrastingly,
Kubricks Full Metal Jacket (based on Gustav Hasfords book, The Short-Timers) was
less interested in conflict and warfare, and more compelled by the inherent evils of
the military machine. Kubrick and Stone, meanwhile, appeared to have a polite, if
somewhat ambivalent, attitude toward their warring war films. I liked Platoon,
Kubrick told The Washington Post. Its very different. Platoon tries to ingratiate
itself a little more with the audience. But then, I have enough faith in enough of the
audience to think that they are able to appreciate something which doesnt do that.
At least youre not bored. Though Stone didnt like The Short-Timers novel (I didnt
think it was real), he was, however, suitably in awe of Stanley Kubrick. You dont
want your movie to be compared, if you can help it, to a Kubrick movie, he said in
the book, Oliver Stone: Interviews. Though both are revered today, Platoon had the
greater immediate impact, picking up Oscars for Best Film and Best Director, and
raking in millions at the box office.

In the nineties, increased awareness of Tibets contentious relationship with China

including the forced exile of Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama resulted in a glut of
films focusing on Tibet and Buddhism. There was Bernardo Bertoluccis epic, The Little
Buddha, and The Cup, which focused on two football-crazed novice monks in a remote
Tibetan monastery. In 1997, Jean-Jacques Annauds Seven Years In Tibet and Martin
Scorseses Kundun were released just two months apart, with both exploring the Dalai
Lamas struggle with the Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1950. While Scorseses longin-development film was directly focused on the life of Tenzin Gyatso himself, Seven
Years In Tibet observed the man and his situation from the point of view of Austrian
mountaineer, Heinrich Harrer, who befriended the Dalai Lama while living in Tibet in
the late forties. We had been working on Kundun for years before Seven Years In
Tibet started up, Kunduns screenwriter, Melissa Mathison, told FilmInk in 1997. We
knew that they had Brad Pitt, and we assumed that they were taking a different route
than we were. As it turned out, Annauds film was encumbered by Brad Pitts high
profile, while Kundun was received with the critical pedigree usually afforded a Martin
Scorsese film. Ultimately, neither film was burdened by the presence of the other, with
both performing solidly at the box office. Interestingly, Melissa Mathison had actually
toyed with the idea of incorporating Heinrich Harrer into Scorseses film. He got
dropped in a couple of times as a vignette, but it didnt work, Mathison told FilmInk.
Heinrich was the Dalai Lamas friend, but he didnt alter the course of Tibetan history.

In 1881, a thirty-second gunfight at The O.K. Corral impelled occasional lawman,

Wyatt Earp, into the annals of Western legend. Hollywood has a rich history of
embracing Earps myth, with the gunslinger having been portrayed by top-tier actors
such as Henry Fonda, Burt Lancaster, James Garner, and Jimmy Stewart. Earps
cinematic lifespan continued into the early nineties, when Lawrence Kasdans Wyatt
Earp and George P. Cosmatos Tombstone both of which focus on the legendary
lawman and his iconic gunfight entered into a Western-style showdown. During
production, Kasdans Kevin Costner-starring film was the perceived superior, thanks
to the directors previous critical darlings, Body Heat and The Big Chill. A lot of
people wished that Tombstone would just die, the films star, Kurt Russell, said. It
would have been easier if wed just gone away. But Tombstone had a lot of things
going for it. First and foremost, it had me. But the more fancied Wyatt Earp was
plagued by a later release date, and went on to earn just $25 million on a budget
of $63 million, as compared to Tombstones more favourable $57 million on a
budget of $25 million. Wyatt Earp is intensely ambitious and meditative, whereas
Tombstone favours sensationalism and bravado. But though Wyatt Earp was praised
for its historical accuracy in contrast to the lenient attitude that Cosmatos film
had towards the truth, the film was also criticised for its chaotic narrative, which
was born out of Kasdans unbridled ambition. Wyatt Earp plays as if they took
Tombstone and pumped it full of hot air, critic, Roger Ebert, commented. Wyatt
Earp certainly aims high, but Tombstone clearly hit its mark.

The startling similarities between Antz and A Bugs Life, both establishing entries into
the medium of computer animation, were far from coincidental. During the lengthy
production of A Bugs Life, a bitter and very public feud erupted between former
Disney executive, Jeffrey Katzenberg, and Pixar heads, Steve Jobs and John Lasseter.
After leaving Disney on sour terms, Katzenberg formed the studio, DreamWorks, with
the intention of producing animation that would rival that of his former employer.
Lasseter, a friend of Katzenbergs from Disney, and one of the directors on A Bugs
Life, was dismayed to hear the news that DreamWorks inaugural film would focus
on impossibly related ideas. We had been working on our film for about a year and
a half when we found out that they were starting theirs, Lasseter said. We were
disappointed, but we concentrated on making our own film. Then it struck Lasseter
that he had involved Katzenberg early on in the creative process of A Bugs Life, often
bouncing ideas off his friend, whose opinion he respected. He called Katzenberg and
challenged him about the striking similarities between both films. Katzenberg denied
stealing the idea, claiming that a development director had pitched him the idea for
Antz long before hed even become aware of A Bugs Life. The two parties entered
into a release date war, with Katzenberg attempting to use the quicker production
turnaround on Antz to strong-arm Pixar into pushing A Bugs Life to a release date
more beneficial for DreamWorks. Neither side relented. Ultimately, both films were
met with commercial and critical success, despite being released within just two
months of one another.

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COLLISION COURSE: WHEN HOLLYWOOD MAKES THE SAME MOVIE TWICE

SAVING PRIVATE RYAN (1998)

AND the THIN RED LINE (1998)

DANTES PEAK (1997) AND VOLCANO (1997)

During the summer of 1998, Steven Spielbergs WW2 opus, Saving Private Ryan, was
released in the US to incredible success, both critically and commercially. A few months
later, Terrence Malicks The Thin Red Line also exploring the horrors of WW2, albeit
in The South Pacific rather than Europe hit cinemas. Spielberg was one of the most
established figures in Hollywood, and Malicks significance as a filmmaker was also
widely accepted, though before he had begun production on The Thin Red Line back in
1997, he had been on a mysterious self-imposed twenty-year hiatus from filmmaking
after his first two films, Badlands and Days Of Heaven, had been met with enormous
critical praise. The coincidence of two colossal filmmakers both releasing a film focusing
on WW2 was enormous, but they were about as dissimilar as it gets. Saving Private
Ryan approached the conflict from a more conventional and sentimental avenue, while
Malicks adopted an elegiac attitude. Where Spielberg thunders, Malick insinuates,
critic, Peter Travers, said in Rolling Stone. Ultimately, Malicks more poetic film was
completely dwarfed by Spielbergs bloodbath. Spielberg would eventually win his
second Best Director Oscar, and his film would gross nearly $500 million compared to
The Thin Red Lines $100 million. But according to The Thin Red Line star, Elias Koteas,
the films almost function as companion pieces. America learned a lot about warfare
during Guadalcanal, as depicted in The Thin Red Line, he told Inside Film. The troops
were green and inexperienced. In Saving Private Ryan, what we learned in warfare in
that vicious South Pacific battle is taken into D-Day.

A weathered hero is responsible for saving a city, a love interest, a child, and a dog
when a volcano eruption threatens to destroy everything around it. The significant
rarity of volcano films emphasises the astonishing fluke that was the close proximity
of the release dates of Dantes Peak and Volcano. In 1997, there hadnt been a
high profile volcano film for almost seventeen years, and even then, it was Paul
Newmans decidedly lacklustre When Time Ran Out, which was released at the tail
end of the seventies Golden Era of disaster films. Then, within the space of two short
months, two Hollywood volcano films hit American cinemas. Dantes Peak starred
a Bond-era Pierce Brosnan as a volcanologist who predicts the deadly eruption of
a dormant volcano neighbouring a quiet country town. Volcano, on the other hand,
was headed by Tommy Lee Jones, and focused on the almost inconceivable event
of a volcano forming fresh in downtown Los Angeles. Both films involved the narrow
escape from the deadly force of the volcano by a dog. Genuine volcanologists were
outraged by the films, due to the poor logic and science behind the eruptions. The
films were shot at around the same time, and were well and truly aware of each
other. Volcano is a more traditional disaster movie, Dantes Peak producer, Gale
Anne Hurd, told People Magazine. Ours is more of a scientific adventure film.
Volcano director, Mick Jackson, meanwhile, claimed that he wasnt conscious of any
direct rivalry. Upon release, the US Geological Survey niggled that the movies were
unrealistic. Audiences and critics shared the volcanologists dim view, with both
films underperforming.

THE TRUMAN SHOW (1998)

AND EDTV (1999)

THE ILLUSIONIST (2006)

and the PRESTIGE (2006)

In the late nineties, two Hollywood productions focused on the rapid rise of reality
television: Peter Weirs reflective, philosophical The Truman Show (in which an
entire community and TV show is constructed around Jim Carreys unknowing
everyman and international celebrity) and Ron Howards more light-hearted EDtv
(in which a very knowing Matthew McConaughey has his every move documented
by a TV crew). For Howard who came to fame as a child star on The Andy
Griffith Show EDtv had a profoundly personal edge. This is something that I can
relate to. Its about the notion of volunteering to become a celebrity, and how you
can get caught up with it, Howard told The New York Times. But it deals with
these issues without copping to a poor-me attitude. Both films examine the
obsession that often swirls around reality television, and the peculiar fame that it
can generate for its subjects. It used to be that you became famous because you
were special, a character in EDtv comments. Now you become special because
youre famous. Fame itself has become a moral good. While both strong films,
The Truman Show unquestionably achieved the greater traction of the two. People
asked me if I thought that the films scenario was actually possible, Peter Weir told
FilmInk in 2010. I always said probably not, and that it was more of a cautionary
tale or a satire. In fact, one reviewer said that the trouble with this movie was the
implausible plot theres no way that people would sit at home and watch such a
boring, everyday life. Yet a couple of years later, it was happening for real!

68 FILMINK WWW.FILMINK.COM.AU

Two separate period dramas surveying the world of magic and illusions hit cinemas in
2006: Christopher Nolans The Prestige followed the bitter and deadly rivalry between
two determined magicians (Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman), while Neil Burgers The
Illusionist concentrated on Edward Nortons turn-of-the-century trickster. The films
were met with almost indistinguishable critical reception. The Prestige, benefitting
from Nolans post-Batman Begins glow, fared marginally better at the box office,
although The Illusionist was also a success, especially considering its minimal budget.
The films tricky release dates, however, makes picking a winner between the
two films decidedly difficult. We made The Illusionist quite a bit before The Prestige
actually, Edward Norton told Indie London. In the states, it came out quite a bit
before that film. In the UK, its flipped. Im not quite sure why they held it here for
so long in the UK, but it doesnt seem to have hurt either one. The Illusionist did
incredibly well in the US. The Prestige did its thing, and the two films didnt seem to
interfere with each other. If I had to choose, it would be better to come out first, but I
dont think its a big deal. Christopher Nolan, meanwhile, was decidedly philosophical
about the nature of the duelling projects. Theres always something else out there,
he said at The Hero Complex Film Festival. Certainly, when we were doing Batman
Begins, there was no shortage of superhero movies that may be too close to you. You
just have to take a leap of faith and say, Were going to do this, and hope that we can
find our space in the marketplace.

CAPOTE (2005) AND INFAMOUS (2006)

Reportedly, neither Capote director, Bennett Miller, nor Infamous writer/director,

Douglas McGrath, knew of the existence of their twin film as shooting began. So
confusing was the fact that duelling Truman Capote biopics (with the famous author
played by, respectively, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Toby Jones) were simultaneously
in production that during an alleged phone conversation between McGrath and
producer, Bingham Ray, the veteran Hollywood player famously got McGraths
screenplay confused with Dan Futtermans script for Capote. People have asked me
how to explain this coincidence, McGrath has commented, as if I could explain
it. While McGraths film used George Plimptons book, Truman Capote: In Which
Various Friends, Enemies, Acquaintances And Detractors Recall His Turbulent Career,
as a primary source, Capote was far more interested in the authors creation of the
seminal non-fiction novel, In Cold Blood. If Capote is a shot of bourbon, this is a
glass of champagne, Infamous co-star, Sigourney Weaver, commented to FilmInk
of the differences between the ultimately extremely similar films. The more bubbly
Infamous, however, was the unfortunate runner-up in its scuffle with the more highly
publicised Capote. By the time that Infamous was released, Capote had scored five
Oscar nominations, with Philip Seymour Hoffman eventually picking up a Best Actor
gong. Over time, however, Infamous has developed a strong support base. Poor Toby
Jones, critic, Michael Dequina, commented. In any other year, his work would be in
immediate awards contention, but coming right after Philip Seymour Hoffman, it will
be seen as a been there, done that kind of thing.

FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS (2011)

AND NO STRINGS ATTACHED (2011)

Released just six months apart, Ivan Reitmans No Strings Attached and Will Glucks
Friends With Benefits both starred a pair of Hollywood A-listers (Ashton Kutcher and
Natalie Portman, and Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis, respectively) as characters
exploring the possibility of having romance-less, commitment-free sex. So closely timed
were the productions of both films that the script for Reitmans film was also originally
titled Friends With Benefits, until backers, Paramount and Screen Gems, came into
conflict over the fact that they were ostensibly funding exactly the same film. Eventually,
Reitman acquiesced to the request to change the title of his film, and both productions
resumed amiably. Will Gluck spoke with a certain amount of aggravation about the
comparisons that were being made between the two co-habiting sex comedies. I wish
that there was more space between them, he said. The thing thats irking me now is
that people are saying that were remaking No Strings Attached. Were not remaking it.
The two movies were being made at exactly the same time. Glucks comments were
endorsed by Friends With Benefits star, Mila Kunis, who observed: Its just two different
movies. There are only so many stories that you can tell in the world. This is just one
of many. Despite Kunis protestations, it was the one of many stories that happened
to have already been told just a few short months prior. Although critics favoured the
later released Friends With Benefits to Reitmans film, both films made an astonishingly
analogous amount at the box office from comparable budgets, proving, perhaps
unfortunately, that sticking to a formula often does work out for Hollywood executives.

ARMAGEDDON (1998)
AND DEEP IMPACT (1998)

The onslaught of disaster films during the nineties was brought to an abrupt close
with the duel release of Michael Bays Armageddon and Mimi Leders Deep Impact.
Nowadays, Michael Bay may be known as an overly stylised, minimal substance variety
of filmmaker with a penchant for explosions, but back during the late nineties, he was
known as an overly stylised, minimal substance variety of filmmaker with a penchant
for explosions. It may come as little surprise then that Armageddon was ill received
by critics, but what may perhaps be more unanticipated is that the film was heralded
by a separate, similarly themed blockbuster released just two months previously. Both
films deal with an asteroid hurtling toward Earth at a devastating speed. While Mimi
Leder (The Peacemaker) took a more measured, emotional response to the material
(You think about the value of your life, and you think about living it fully, she told
Times Union of directing the film. How could I be doing it differently? How could I
make it better?), Bays characteristic love of bombast was well and truly in place.
Making films is like a war, he once famously said. In the end, the audiences desire
for destruction would not be sated by just one apocalypse, and both films performed
admirably at the box officethough both received less-than-impressed reviews from
the critics. On the DVD commentary for Armageddon, Bay is not shy about discussing
Deep Impact: he admits that its success hurt the box office of his film; states that both
films are very different; claims that Armageddon would resonate more with mass
audiences; and tags his special effects as more realistic.

MIRROR MIRROR (2012) AND

SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN (2012)

Twin films often happen as a result of current cinematic trends. In the case of Mirror
Mirror and Snow White And The Huntsman, the films were part of a craze for updated
fairy tales. Loose adaptations of a story arguably perfected by Disney in 1937, Mirror
Mirror and Snow White And The Huntsman are actually wholly dissimilar. While Snow
White And The Huntsman boasts more grandiose sensibilities, Mirror Mirror, directed
by Tarsem Singh (The Fall, The Cell), is a whimsical take on the fable. Its helped
both of the films get talked about, Snow White And The Huntsman director, Rupert
Sanders, told FilmInk. Theyre very different. I never saw us making the same film,
and both looking at the other, embarrassed, and going, Were in the same dress!
When Filmink asked newcomer, Lily Collins who plays Snow White in Mirror Mirror
about the rivalry between the two films, the actress had nothing but positive
words for the Kristen Stewart-starring Snow White And The Huntsman. Their version
is darker and edgier, and ours is more comedic, she said. We just wanted to focus
on our magical version. Im excited for Kristen Stewart; shes perfect for the other
version. Weve joked about how theres supposed to be a huge rivalry when were
actually friends. Were excited for each other. Shell do an amazing job, and I cant
wait to see that version. But for me, this is the version that Ive always lived with in
my head. Both films were a commercial success, although Snow White And The
Huntsman was more of a commercial success, which resulted in a sequel being
swiftly greenlit.

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Photo by Larry Busacca/Getty Images

DIRECTOR SPOTLIGHT

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LUKAS MOODYSSON WE ARE THE BEST!!

ukas Moodysson filmmaker, novelist, poet, and

father. A 45-year-old Swede who says that he felt
more like a girl growing up, and hes okay with
that. I couldnt really understand boys, he tells
FilmInk. That kind of masculinity has always been
a bit disturbing for me. Moodysson couldnt really
understand sport either, and he still boycotts football. In
his house, they watch figure skating. I cant explain it on a
deep psychological level, but Ive always felt like that, he
reflects. It was easier for me to relate to my grandmother
than my grandfather. In our family, [my wife] Coco is more
masculine than I am. She knows how to drive a car, and I
dont. If something is broken, she can fix it, but I cant.
Not that rebuilding a fractious refrigerator should be the
measure of a man, but being in proximity to ones youthful,
feminine side can only help when youre telling a story
about three vocal teenage girls, as Moodysson does in his
latest film, We Are The Best!. The year is 1982, and punk,
if not dead, has lapsed into a coma. Nobody, however, has
told Bobo (Mira Barkhammar) and Klara (Mira Grosin). Nor
have they been told that punk is for boys, as they set about
securing the help of schoolmate, Hedvig (Liv LeMoyne), to
start a band. Shes the only girl they know who can actually
play an instrument. Not that talent matters especially; this
is punk! What follows is a riotous, cheerful and somewhat
exhausting spectacle of youthful exuberance as they fall in,
fall out, and fall in again en-route to a local talent contest.
Their song Hatar Sporten (Kill The Sport) is penned in
response to the outrageously draconian rules that govern
their lives (which is to say, the PE teacher made them
do laps), and is one of many finely nuanced moments in
the film. You dont have to travel far to find Moodyssons
inspiration for the song. Im not anti-sport entirely, but Im
anti-football because of the violence and hooligans, he
says. When its World Cup time though, I have to take a
break from my principles. But the day after the final, Im
back boycotting football, he laughs.
That self-deprecating sense of outrage and absolutes
follow Bobo, Klara and Hedvig as they navigate their way
through school in Stockholm. Its a fascinating time of life for
Moodysson as We Are The Best! marks his third engagement
with teen spirit after Lilya 4-Ever and Show Me Love.
Whats the appeal? I get asked this all the time, and I never
have a good answer, he says. If you ask my psychoanalyst,
its maybe because I am immature or childish. On a more
theoretical level, Im interested in reaction. How, as a young
person, you react immediately rather than going home and
reflecting about things. Like screaming at your teacher?
Yeah, if your gym teacher is stupid, you decide to write a
song about him; immediately, you say that its good or bad or
ugly. Its very instantaneous.
We Are The Best! is based on Coco Moodyssons graphic
novel, and the film is, to some degree, biographical. Its
about her life, explains Lukas. And since were more or
less Siamese Twins these days, its also a story about me. In
many ways, we grew up in similar situations we listened
to the same music, and we are the same age. The fact that
she was a girl in 1982 and I was a boy didnt make much of
a difference because, as I said, I always felt more like a girl
than a boy. In translating the novel to screen, Moodysson
made subtle changes. I wanted to be a little more free, so
I changed Coco to Bobo, the director laughs. Its about
75% biographical, with 25% made up by me.
Moodysson grew up in regional Sweden, while Coco
was born in the capital of Stockholm, a city which he
always found impressive and exotic, and even otherworldly.
For many young Swedish boys, and he was no different, it
represented everything that his small town wasnt. I grew
up in a much smaller place, and I felt that I didnt live in the
centre of the world, he says. When it came to adapting his

IM INTERESTED IN REACTION. HOW, AS A YOUNG

PERSON, YOU REACT IMMEDIATELY RATHER THAN
GOING HOME AND REFLECTING ABOUT THINGS.
wifes novel, the challenge was in understanding, and then
translating, what Stockholm was like in 1982. If you grow
up in Stockholm, at least you believe that you are in the
centre of the world. Its the capital! Consequently, the city
as it was in 1982 takes on a subtle, near-mythical tone as it
weaves in and out of the films background.
Haircuts link the film most visibly to its period setting, but
is Sweden of the early eighties all that different from today?
Thats a big and interesting question, Moodysson replies,
and I could give you a lot of answers. One is that 1982 is
still here today. Sure. But the film was set before 1986, and
that was a watershed year. That was a year when something
of enormous proportions happened. Its a dividing line in
Swedish history because that was the year that our Prime
Minister, Olof Palme, was assassinated. Imagine a quiet
street in Canberra and Bob Hawke is making his way home
from the movies. A lone gunman steps out of the shadows,
fires, and in doing so, changes the country irrevocably.
Worse, the killer is never found, and the case is never solved.
Imagine the national devastation, and you come close to
Swedens pain. We still live in shock that this happened to
us. Some say that we lost our virginity, and a lot of people
feel that we lost a kind of paradise. So 1982 is a time when
we were perhaps a little more provincial. The sweetness of
We Are The Best! fits the relative innocence of a time before
the murder of Olof Palme.
Sweetness and innocence, however, are not qualities
always associated with Lukas Moodysson, who boasts an
international reputation for making tough, uncompromising
works that have been welcomed in arthouse cinemas
across the globe. Born in 1969 in the South Sweden burg of
Lund, Moodyssons hardworking farmer father had moved
there from the even more isolated community of Smaland
when the opportunity arose for him to study engineering in
the sixties. A perennial outsider from even his earliest years,
the future director was exposed to an early, essential film
influence when he first watched Fanny And Alexander, the
intimate but epic 1982 family tale from Swedish master,

Ingmar Bergman. The first time that I saw Fanny and

Alexander, I was ten or twelve-years-old, Moodysson
told Sight & Sound. I saw it first at the movies, and then I
watched the long version which is better on television
around Christmas time. I was home alone, crying in the
kitchen because I felt so sorry for Alexander. I identified
a bit with himI guess that I was really feeling sorry for
myself. I like Bergman, but I dont think that hes inspired me
much. Ive possibly been inspired by his attitude as an artist,
which is that he takes himself completely seriously despite
working within an artform thats often stupid and infantile.
Moodyssons first creative impulses didnt propel him
toward the cinema. Though the product of what he has
often described as a happy, middle class family with leftist
leanings (his mother counted several radical feminists
amongst her best friends), Moodyssons feeling of being
on the outside looking in manifested itself first through
poetry and writing. He was first published at the age of
seventeen, and by 23, hed released five poetry collections
and a novel. Even at that young age, however, Moodysson
was starting to chafe under the writers yolk. I remember
being very bored with my life, he said at Englands National
Film And Television School in 2002. I wanted to change
everything. I didnt know exactly where to go, but I had to
do something else. I wanted to be a lawyer, I wanted to be
a cook in a restaurant, or I wanted to be a film director. I
was lucky enough to be accepted at a film school, although
I had applied for other schools. It came out of being bored
and wanting to change everything completely. Looking back
now, I can see that I wanted to broaden my horizons, to
reach a wider audience, and to take a bigger place in the
world. I wanted to be more interested in the rest of the
world, and not only myself. Poetry, for me, was very selfcentred. It wasnt until a bit later that I discovered that film
was what I really wanted to do.
After studying at what was then Swedens only
film school The Dramatiska Institutet in Stockholm
Moodysson directed three short films before moving into
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bitter period of national notoriety.

Moodyssons next film, however, featured little of this
rebellious swagger, although it did come with a gentle
criticism of the kind of ideals that those lashing out at him
most likely held dear. 2000s seventies-set Together was
a heartfelt but satirically tinged comedy drama about the
disparate personalities that make up a suburban Swedish
hippie commune. As in many of his films, Moodyssons
sympathies lay largely with Togethers children, who are
mostly ignored while their apparently right on parents
argue about politics and indulge in sexual experimentation.
Though the entertainingly warm and funny film further
cemented Moodyssons standing as a filmmaker of
note, critics detected a possible conservative streak,
and questioned Togethers depiction of a commune that
becomes more peaceful as it becomes less radical. The
commune becomes more normal, Moodysson said in
The Guardian, but it also becomes less hardcore, and
less fundamentalist. People have said that Im defending
the bourgeoisie, but if you feel close to something, then
its important to criticise it. I really sympathise with their
experiment in the film, but they make a lot of mistakes as
well mistakes that people are still making in alternative
left-wing groups. Ive tried really hard to fit into society,

it just happens. I dont have a clue whyI should go to a

therapist and find out, but I dont. I make films instead. Im
not particularly interested in probing the depths of my soul;
Im more into probing the world around me.
If Lilya 4-Ever was a left turn for Lukas Moodysson,
his next film was a careening screech right off the map.
Filled with graphic, ugly sexual imagery, 2004s A Hole In
My Heart (which followed 2003s political documentary,
Terrorists: The Kids They Sentenced) revolves around
Rickard (Thorsten Flink), an amateur pornographer; his
narcoleptic and brutish friend, Gecko (Goran Marjanovic);
and budding starlet, Tess (Sanna Brding), as they put
together an American-style porn flick. Im not actually
sure what it is that I have made, Moodysson told Film
4 of A Hole In My Heart, which also featured randomly
inserted surgical footage, leading to walk-outs in Sweden.
I definitely see this as my most complex film, with things
going in a thousand different directions and working on
different levels all at once. When you watch it, its like it
makes some sort of injection into your head and stays with
you for a long time, hopefully. So extreme was the film
that Moodysson even tried unsuccessfully to block its
home entertainment release, fearing that children may too
easily access it.

Photo by Andreas Rentz/Getty Images

features with 1998s self-penned Fucking Amal, which was

understandably retitled in many territories, copping the
new moniker of Show Me Love in Australia. The tender
teen romance centres on Agnes (Rebecka Liljeberg), a
sixteen-year-old outcast who knows only two things for
certain that shes a lesbian, and that shes in love with
Elin (Alexandra Dahlstrom), her high schools reckless
good time girl. New to the small Swedish town of Amal,
Agnes doesnt have a friend in the world. When Elin kisses
Agnes on a dare at a disastrous birthday party, she feels
a gravity that she never did when messing around with
the inane schoolboys that she despises. For Agnes, their
love is a given, but Elin must find the courage that she has
only exhibited as a ruse, and with that acceptance comes
a seismic but beautifully warm and benign shift. The
film started out as something completely different, because
there had been a turning point in my life, Moodysson said
at Englands National Film And Television School in 2002.
I had my first child, and then I started writing Show Me
Love. I changed in many ways to become a person who
was interested in the world and not just myself. When you
have a child, you are no longer the centre of the universe.
It made me change my aesthetic principles. Before that,
I was more interested in writing scripts about the most

p From left: Lukas Moodysson on the set of Together; Moodysson on the set of Mammoth; Moodysson with Mammoth actors, Gael Garcia Bernal, Martin De Los Santos, Jan Nicdao, Marife Necesito and Sophie Nyweide
at The 59th Berlin Film Festival. Opposite page: Moodysson with We Are The Best! stars, Mira Barkhammar, Liv LeMoyne, and Mira Grosin, and his daughter, Lily Moodysson, at The 70th Venice International Film Festival.

bizarre aspects of life. They were very bloody and violent,

with lots of strange things happening. The Show Me Love
script started out like that. It started with these two sisters
having a crazy mass murdering neighbour and so on. But
it then suddenly became much more interesting for me to
listen to them talking with each other in their rooms, talking
about their dreams, and what they wanted to do in life. Its
not autobiographical at all, but many of the feelings and
emotions come very close to what I have felt myself.
The deeply affecting and surprisingly uplifting Show
Me Love was a huge success in Sweden, garnering rave
reviews (the great Ingmar Bergman, no less, called it
a young masters first masterpiece) and performing
extraordinarily well at the box office. It also picked up the
bulk of the gongs at The Guldbagge Film Awards, Swedens
answer to the Oscars. It was here that Moodysson
announced himself as a truly unpredictable figure of the
first order. They were expecting me to fall on my knees
and thank everybody, but I couldnt do it, the director
told The Guardian. I get extremely childish in situations
where people are pretending to be something theyre not.
So I made a long acceptance speech where I was voicing
different opinions. One was that you shouldnt eat meat,
and one was that you should pay your taxes. And I said
that films shouldnt be in a place like this. It was in the
opera house and everyone was wearing tuxedos. When
he was booed by the audience, Moodysson gave them the
middle finger salute and slumped off the stage, leading to
a brief stint as Swedens most hated artist. It was a really
interesting experience, he said of this brief but intensely
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because its a problem when people close themselves off

into small groups and dont think about what normal people
think. Its a very lazy lifestyle. Youre just anti everything. I
want to be pro. I want to be in favour of something. Trying
to be alternative the whole time is really elitist.
After the warm, humanist glow of his first two films,
Moodyssons next effort played like a sucker punch supreme.
Tough, bleak, and shattering in its lack of compromise,
2002s Lilya 4-Ever was set largely in Russia, and was made
with a predominantly Russian cast, telling the harrowing
tale of fifteen-year-old Lilya (Oksana Akinshina), who is
abandoned by her mother, and slowly drifts into the ugly
world of prostitution, which only gets worse when she
meets a smooth-talking young man who whisks her off
to Sweden to a fate literally worse than death. A brutal,
visceral, borderline cruel meditation on the lack of value that
many people place on human life, the utterly heartbreaking
Lilya 4-Ever received rapturous reviews, with many shocked
by Moodyssons detour into such unforgiving cinematic
territory. Mentally, I had to go to some terrible places to
write the script, the director told the BBC. I had to live
through a girl being raped every day, and its not such a
nice experience. Once again, the film finds Moodysson
taking the side of young people caught up in the gears of the
cruelly unfeeling societal machinery that grinds away around
them. Young people are more honest, up-front, brave and
vulnerable, and they face the world with their eyes open,
the director told Indiewire. The years hopefully make you
wiser, but your imagination is stunted, and you lose a certain
type of courage. But I dont choose a certain perspective,

Moodysson continued to court audience abandonment

if not as much controversy with 2006s Container.
Though thankfully free of the repulsive imagery of A Hole
In My Heart, it was no less experimental, and Moodysson
happily stated that he was shooting for an audience of
seven. Shot in black-and-white, and with a trippy, free form,
stream-of-consciousness narration from American actress,
Jena Malone, Container has no story to speak of, and merely
serves to unsettle and disturb the few who might watch
it. It was so obtuse and singularly unappealing that Peter
Bradshaw of The Guardian a longtime champion of Lukas
Moodysson called it a baffling act of self-sabotage
Lukas Moodyssons career is becoming the modern movie
worlds biggest and most depressing disappointment.
In a typical Moodysson twist, the director followed
up the aggressively anti-social A Hole In My Heart and
Container with his most internationally accessible film
to date. 2009s Mammoth was not only shot in English,
but also starred high profile talents, Gael Garcia Bernal
and Michelle Williams. Once again, however, the director
returned to his recurring themes of children and parental
responsibility with an interlocking, multi-story narrative
taking in two very different families. The film provoked
strong reactions (including boos from the audience at The
Berlin Film Festival), which in typical fashion pleased
Moodysson no end. Ive heard that people often get into
strong discussions after seeing the film, and thats really
refreshing, the director told IFC. Thats one of the reasons
why I want to make films to touch conflicts. I would find
it boring if people saw a film and everyone felt the same

thing. When people are booing in a cinema, or applauding,

its great. There are a lot of people who find it difficult to
question how we, as a society, take care of our children.
Theyre often neglected and forgotten, and our whole
society is built upon the fact that we actually have to work
and leave our children so much.
Though Moodysson found the geographical challenges
of the Mammoth shoot (it lensed in Thailand, Philippines,
and Sweden) fairly easy to cope with, shooting in English
despite his excellent conversational command of the
language proved more difficult. Its a big difference for
me, the director whose Lilya 4-Ever unfolded largely in
Russian tells FilmInk. I feel very much at home in my own
language, but I dont feel at home in another language. After
the internationalism of Mammoth, the very Swedish We Are
The Best! was like a kind of homecoming. It felt fantastic to
work in my own country where I understood all the nuances
and all the tiny details, Moodysson says. Language is
extremely important for me. Its not surprising for a man
who spends so much of his life crafting ideas and words.
Notwithstanding film and poetry, the sheer variety of
Moodyssons films alone indicates a creative force thats
simply not interested in making the same film twice: an
output that runs the gamut from punk kids to amateur
pornographers. I have a lot of different projects in my mind,

Moodysson tells FilmInk. Why one turns into reality and

other projects die, I dont know. Is it based on intuition, or
accident? I dont know. While fate governs the project,
inspiration is found all around him. Its based on life, he
says. Sometimes its very complicated, and sometimes
its very simple. Sometimes its dark, and sometimes its
happy...I just need to speak about different things in different
voices. Life is complex and always changing. It seems that
We Are The Best! was a product of necessity. Why this
one? Probably because it was fun, and at an egotistical level,
it felt like I needed to do something that was fun and happy
and full of survival instincts. Plus, it spoke to his inner punk.
I wanted to do something with people who were happy
when people spit in their faces, he laughs.
Embracing the creative spirit is Moodysson at his
best, yet of the creative forms that he practices, he finds
scriptwriting the most difficult. While poems and novels
can be as short or as long as a story dictates, movies have
that magic length. When Im writing a novel or poetry,
its easier for me to be reflective, and to sit back and think
about something, Moodysson says. Writing a script is a
challenge because it has to fit a format. Theres a magic
place in films between ninety and 120 minutes, and thats
very difficult for me, because I always want to tell too many
stories. I have too many branches on the tree. And because

I dont want to make five-hour movies, its very restrictive. A

punk comedy that runs for over five hours? That would have
been completely stupid!
Thus scriptwriting is a careful, considered, and
sometimes anguished means to the joyful end of directing.
I spend a lot of time finding the right words, and then one
day, Im not a writer anymore, but a director, Moodysson
offers. I enjoy directing movies. And from that day, I dont
really respect the script, or the scriptwriter, even though
the scriptwriter is me, he laughs. I forget about it, and
just try to make things happen in front of the camera.
With Moodysson lost in the moment of crafting a film, his
assistant director takes care of the script to ensure that
nothing is missed. Making movies is a more physical
thing, he adds. If you see something, you approach it and
react immediately. When Im directing, I just want new
things to happen. You could say that his spontaneous,
excitable, inner teenager takes over. Im really happy on
days when things happen that I didnt plan at alldays
when Im laughing so much that I have to leave the set.
Those are the best days.
We Are The Best!! is released on September 18
and is reviewed on Page 75. n
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Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

SOMETIMES ITS VERY COMPLICATED, AND SOMETIMES ITS VERY

SIMPLE. SOMETIMES ITS DARK, AND SOMETIMES ITS HAPPY...I JUST
NEED TO SPEAK ABOUT DIFFERENT THINGS IN DIFFERENT VOICES.

FILMINK RATES MOVIES OUT OF $20.00. The FilmInk rating system indicates the amount we believe a ticket to the movie to be worth.

SIN CITY: A DAME TO KILL FOR

Rating
Time
Country
Directors
Cast

MA
102 minutes
USA
Frank Miller, Robert Rodriguez
Mickey Rourke, Jessica Alba, Bruce
Willis, Josh Brolin, Eva Green, Joseph
Gordon-Levitt, Powers Boothe

No, we dont want a lift, thanks.

Distributor Icon
WORTH $17.00
Released September 18

...a worthily prurient

follow-up...
Sin City: A Dame To Kill For cracks
wide open with Mickey Rourkes
hulking brute, Marv, dispensing with
a quartet of sadistic college boys
after they attempt to burn a derelict
alive, just for kicks, in the crimeinfested cesspool that is Basin (or
Sin, to its singularly seedy residents)
City. If you were worried that writer/
co-director and comic book figurehead,
Frank Miller, and co-director/producer/
editor/cinematographer/score composer/
songwriter (phew!), Robert Rodriguez,
might have gone soft in the nine years
since they shocked and shifted the gears
of the film world with 2005s stunning
Sin City, you can breathe a sigh of relief.
Sin City: A Dame To Kill For is every bit as
vicious, sexy, funny, transgressive, and
full-tilt as its polarising predecessor. While
it might not feel as complete and wellrounded as the first movie, Sin City: A
Dame To Kill For is a worthily prurient follow-up that offers
up a whole bundle of new cinematic tricks, and a rogues
gallery of exciting new characters.
With Sin City, Rodriguez and Miller aimed for the metacomic-book-adaptation: the screenplay was merely a
transcription of the exact dialogue that appeared in Millers
smoky, noir-inflected graphic novels, and the visual style of
the film was ripped straight from their pages, with shots
based on the actual panels that appeared in the books.
With advances in digital technology, and Rodriguez now
shooting in 3-D (of which he was one of modern cinemas
earliest proponents, even jumping on board way before
James Cameron), Sin City: A Dame To Kill For is even more
dazzling than its predecessor, offering up a continually eyepopping swathe of images and set pieces, as the camera
tilts and weaves, and the black-and-white images are
gouged with slashes of thematic colour. Once again, the
blood spills white, and decapitations and dismemberments
come with a highly stylised flourish.
Following the cross-narrative, interconnected story
approach of the first film, Sin City: A Dame To Kill For
is based on the published stories, A Dame To Kill For
and Just Another Saturday Night, and features two
new ones The Long Bad Night and The Fat Loss
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written expressly for the film by Frank Miller. Taking place

before, during, and after the events of the first film, the
sequel finds Mickey Rourkes Marv still on the prowl for
trouble, and Jessica Albas stripper, Nancy Callahan, on
a downward spiral, still mourning the loss of her beloved
cop protector, John Hartigan (Bruce Willis, who appears
intermittently here as a kind of guardian angel). The bulk of
the film, however, is taken up with the title tale, in which
an earlier, physically different version of the character of
seedy jack-of-all-trades, Dwight McCarthy (played in the
first film by Clive Owen, and here by a growling, desperate
Josh Brolin), finds himself ensnared in the web of Eva
Greens utterly lethal, and mostly naked, femme fatale,
Ava Lord. Its a wonderfully sordid pastiche of classic noir,
and forms a strong anchor for the rest of the film to swing
around. And in a surprisingly wrenching tale, the ever
excellent Joseph Gordon-Levitts cocky gambler, Johnny,
takes the game right up into the face of Powers Boothes
criminal powerbroker, Senator Roark, who is basically the
lexis of all thats horrible and corrupt in Sin City. Several
existing players return (Rosario Dawson, Jaime King),
with some roles recast (Dennis Haysbert, Jaime Chung),
while a host of new faces (Ray Liotta, an unrecognisable,
makeup-heavy Stacy Keach, Jeremy Piven, Marton Csokas,

Christopher Meloni, and Lady Gaga) keep things fresh and

interesting.
That said, there are a few minor quibbles. While the
stories of the first film felt epic in scope, the tone here is
far less grand and cohesive. The tales (though certainly
not the visual tableaux) feel smaller, and less meaningful.
Though Mickey Rourkes Marv is once again the big,
beating heart of the film, his essential arc unfolded in the
first film, which unforgettably climaxed with the wayward
tough guy getting fried in the electric chair. Here, hes
more of a cohort than a driving force, and the same goes
for Jessica Albas Nancy Callahan, who bumps and grinds
her way through most of the film, before finally getting a
payoff in the last act. As such indelible characters from the
first film, its a disappointment that they dont loom a little
larger here. Powers Boothe, however, takes the film by the
throat, creating a profoundly disturbing portrait of pure evil
that stares down violently over the film even when hes not
on screen.
Though the cinematic world has changed and shifted
since the release of Sin City in 2005 and has actually
caught up to the pioneering film Sin City: A Dame To Kill
For still packs one mighty, jaw-crunching punch, even if it
doesnt take you by surprise this time. Erin Free

FILM REVIEWS

THE LITTLE DEATH

Rating
Time
Country
Director
Cast

TBC
95 minutes
Australia
Josh Lawson
Josh Lawson, Bojana Novakovic,
Damon Herriman, Lisa McCune
Distributor eOne
WORTH $11.50
Released September 18

Was that good for you? I thought it was

pretty ordinary, to be honest

...one or two bright spots...

Fresh from Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues and
TVs House Of Lies, Josh Lawsons ascending star
may have spun out of orbit with this ill-conceived
comedy-drama about orgasms. As writer/director/
co-star, Lawson drops himself in the middle of a multistory narrative set in an Australian suburb where couples
struggle with sex, love, and taboo relationships.

Couples like Dan and Evie, who are trying role play
to spice up their rocky relationship, except Dan is too
distracted by the mechanics of staging the scenes to
reconnect. Down the road, Rowena discovers that tears
turn her on, and since she and Richard are trying to
conceive, he becomes the unknowing victim of her abuse.
Across the way, Phil adores his grouchy wife only when

SON OF A GUN
Rating
Time
Country
Director
Cast

MA
109 minutes
Australia
Julius Avery
Brenton Thwaites, Ewan McGregor,
Alicia Vikander, Matt Nable
Distributor eOne
WORTH $15.50
Released October 16

...polished...
Brenton Thwaites has been a busy man in the two
years since he left Summer Bay. In addition to royal
duties in Maleficent earlier this year, he will pop up in
Gods Of Egypt after leading The Signal for William Eubank
(his follow up to the acclaimed Love), as well as stealing
Julius Averys home grown thriller, Son Of A Gun. He stars
opposite Ewan McGregor, though to be fair, its McGregor

No, I DONT want fries with that!

in support since Thwaites, both in terms of character and
performance, holds the film together.
Son Of A Gun opens with a sweaty, violent bang as JR
(Thwaites) is hauled to prison and befriended by Brendan
(McGregor), an older inmate who trades protection
for loyalty. Avery creates a dark, claustrophobic, and
frightening atmosphere as friendships are forged amid

THE INFINITE MAN

Rating
Time
Country
Director
Cast

MA
81 minutes
Australia
Hugh Sullivan
Josh McConville, Hannah Marshall,
Alex Dimitriades
Distributor Infinite Releasing
WORTH $17.50
Released September 18

Advanced Hair indeed

fun, funny,
insightful
All is fair in love and war and in The Infinite Man,
that includes time travel. Dean (Josh McConville)
wants to recapture the heyday of his romance with Lana
(Hannah Marshall), but when revisiting the scene of a
happy holiday doesnt succeed, he pursues a different
course of action. Attempting to avoid Lanas loutish
ex-boyfriend, Terry (Alex Dimitriades), Dean takes to

twisting temporal boundaries via his own custom-made

device. Soon, the lovers are reliving the same situation
over and over and so are other Deans and Laras.
Films frequently arrive in pairs, and so it is with two
Australian efforts in 2014, yet The Infinite Man doesnt
suffer from coming second to the serious time bending
outing, Predestination. Writer/director, Hugh Sullivans

shes asleep. Theres a nasty undertone at play, though

Lawson saves the worst for himself as he wrestles with his
partners rape fantasy. This shocking miscalculation opens
the film and could, maybe, make for a statement of bold
intent. Dressed as an ongoing joke, its as hilarious as a fart
in a shower, because rape is not, never was, and never will
be funny.
Accordingly, The Little Death is a wildly uneven concept
that attempts to lift the lid on suburban sexual proclivities
through multiple conversations. Its a strong idea given
heft by a robust cast including Bojana Novakovic, Damon
Herriman, Lisa McCune and Kate Mulvany, but its not
enough to overcome Lawsons over-reach. Apart from
one story in which a signer acts as intermediary between
a deaf caller and the phone-sex worker that he wants to
talk to, The Little Death grows increasingly laboured.
With one or two bright spots, this is a mostly uninteresting,
occasionally uncomfortable affair that is simply not as
subversive, enlightening, or as taboo-breaking as it sets out
to be. Colin Fraser

startling violence. It soon becomes clear that JR is the key

to Brendans plans, which include a daring escape and an
even more daring raid on a Kalgoorlie gold mine.
Son Of A Gun is at its balls-out best in the first act. But
as the story opens out, writer/director, Julius Avery, loses a
lot of the thematic intensity as JRs story is whittled down
to elaborate robberies, car chases, and double crosses. It
becomes less about the creation of a criminal, and more
about the crime, and is a lot less interesting for it. An
overplayed chess analogy doesnt help. McGregor leads
an agreeable support cast, although Alicia Vikander (Anna
Karenina) is distractingly offbeat as the boys love interest.
Production is polished. Despite diminishing returns, Son Of
A Gun is still a chunky little movie with a lot going for it. Its
one that, rather like Two Hands before it, could prove to be
the launch pad for a new Australian sensation.
Colin Fraser

debut amuses and endears, purposefully offering

Groundhog Day-like witty repetition and Eternal Sunshine
Of The Spotless Mind-esque fixing of past mistakes over
pure genre ambition. Thats not to dismiss its narrative
or technical proficiency, as Sullivan works his singlesetting story for all its worth, playfully toying with space
and perspective. But its heart rather than trickery that
shines through in the affectionate end result; for all its
timeline tinkering, The Infinite Man never forgets that its
a romantic comedy.
As the only talent on screen, conveying the charm of
the premise is also saddled upon the three stars, with all
proving up to the task. McConville is a downbeat delight,
ensuring that audiences warm to Deans earnest quest,
whilst Marshall beguiles, and Dimitriades perfects the
comic antagonist. Humour radiates from their efforts, as
does an understanding of the exaggerated highs and lows
of relationships. Few films are as fun, funny, insightful, or
astute with a familiar concept, as The Infinite Man pleasingly
creates a new future for time travel flicks. Sarah Ward
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WE ARE THE BEST!

Rating
Time
Country
Director
Cast

MA
102 minutes
Sweden
Lukas Moodysson
Mira Barkhammar, Mira Grosin,
Liv LeMoyne, Johan Liljemark
Distributor NewVision
WORTH $17.50
Released September 18

Funny and full

of bluster

Smells like teen spirit!

Stockholm, 1982. Punk is dead. Amongst its few

remaining stalwarts are seventh graders, Bobo
(Mira Barkhammar) and Klara (Mira Grosin). They
even start their own band; so what if they dont know
how to play? Adapted by acclaimed Swedish director,
Lukas Moodysson (Lilya 4-Ever, Show Me Love), from a
graphic novel by his wife, Coco Moodysson, We Are The

Best! captures the dynamics of adolescent friendship

to perfection. Funny and full of bluster, its an exuberant
tribute to punk rock spirit, and to the experience of being
thirteen.
While their music is awful, Bobo and Klara know that
punk is less about sound and more about sticking it to
The Man particularly their fascist PE teacher. Even

THE SKELETON TWINS

Rating
Time
Country
Director
Cast

M
93 minutes
USA
Craig Johnson
Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, Luke Wilson,
Ty Burrell
Distributor Sony
WORTH $16.50
Released September 25

Seriously, dude, in the doctors office?

deliciously funny.
Pairing Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader is nothing new
to comedy fans, with their work on Saturday Night
Live sparking film careers that continue to work
in tandem. Both shared the screen in Adventureland,
appeared in Knocked Up, and lent voices to Her, but it is
the dramatic The Skeleton Twins that marks their meatiest
cinematic collaboration. Their fondness and familiarity

is evident, but so is their ability to complement each

other in their differences. Here, the bond of blood defines
their relationship, with the pair playing troubled siblings
embroiled in separate yet not dissimilar dramas.
Though estranged for a decade, Maggie (Wiig) and Milo
(Hader) have the same urge on the same day, trying to
put an end to their individual miseries. Reuniting over their

OBVIOUS CHILD
Rating
Time
Country
Director
Cast

MA
84 minutes
USA
Gillian Robespierre
Jenny Slate, Jake Lacy, Gaby Hoffman,
David Cross
Distributor Disney
WORTH $16.50
Released October 2

I guess that my career is really in the toilet now

entertains and
courageously engages.
Girl meets boy, sparks fly, and courtship commences,
with their respective baggage requiring amusing
manoeuvring before relationship bliss can be
achieved. So go most romantic comedies, and although
Obvious Child is guilty of the same, it provides a refreshing
difference. The reality of late twentysomething life informs
a film neither beholden to fantasy nor chasing it. Difficult
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decisions are made, people stumble, and the idea of a happy

ending is reframed.
In writer/director, Gillian Robespierres feature adaptation
of her 2009 short of the same name, Brooklyn-based comic,
Donna Stern (Jenny Slate), toils in a failing bookstore by day
and works the mic at night. A swoop of misfortune soon
sees her unemployed, dumped, and blathering bitterly and

so, they eventually find the good sense to recruit shy

guitarist, Hedvig (Liv LeMoyne), although Klara worries
that the new girls Christianity will tarnish their rebellious
image. Barkhammar, Grosin, and LeMoyne are naturals
on camera, joking, arguing and playing off each others
energy as if theyve been best friends for years. Bonding
sessions and petty jealousies feel completely authentic,
with each member of the trio offering a different and
yet universally familiar portrait of burgeoning teendom.
Frankly, its just nice to see a movie in which children
act their age. Everything is enormous to a seventh grader;
every set-back a disaster, every emotion a typhoon. As
an adult watching the film, you laugh not just because
they make mountains out of molehills, but because you
remember that, once, you did too. At the same time,
theres something invigorating about a thirteen-year-old
punks attitude towards life. Do what you want, to hell
with what anyone thinks. Why be like everybody else
when you can be the best? Tom Clift

unexpected affinity brings the warm embrace of childhood

memories, but also the painful realisation that their adult
lives are far from what they once dreamed. Maggie
languishes in a stagnant marriage to nice guy, Lance (Luke
Wilson), sabotaging their domesticity whenever she can.
Milo cant escape the lure of Rich (Ty Burrell), his former
teacher and the reason for the familial rift.
Writer/director, Craig Johnson, perfects a blend of
eccentric dysfunction oft seen yet rarely expressed with
such bittersweet emotion. Amidst a grey palette that
mirrors how his protagonists see the world, he fleshes
out with co-scribe, Mark Heyman (Black Swan) midthirties malaise beyond the standard tropes, demonstrating
heart and humour. Nostalgia and quirkiness rear their
heads, but sensitivity and balance reign supreme. Wiig
and Hader are the stars of the show, as well as winning
components of a wry look at life. Their rapport is a delight,
and the rest of the film is darkly authentic and deliciously
funny. Sarah Ward

drunkenly on stage instead of over-sharing funny stories

about her sex life. The handsome, homespun Max (Jake
Lacy) arrives as Donnas fortunes seem unable to get worse,
but then their one night stand leaves her contemplating
motherhood. Unable to look after herself let alone a child,
abortion is an easy choice, though navigating the messiness
of maturity proves anything but.
Obvious Child succeeds as a concise comedy unafraid of
quarter-life malaise, an affecting debut from an emerging
talent, and a star vehicle for Jenny Slate, best known for TVs
Parks And Recreation. In its aversion to female stereotypes,
its honest broaching of a usually taboo topic, and its
relatable protagonist, however, the film both entertains and
courageously engages. It may lean heavily upon the clich
of pregnancy as a life-changing event, but like the template
that it appropriates, the film spins the expected into the
disarmingly touching with its frankness. Laughing, crying,
and getting swept up in the story might be the standard
rom-com outcome, but here such an emotional response is
earned, understated, and cathartic. Sarah Ward

FILM REVIEWS

THE BOXTROLLS
Rating
Time
Country
Director
Voice Cast

PG
97 minutes
USA
Graham Annable, Anthony Stacchi
Isaac Hampstead Wright, Elle Fanning,
Ben Kingsley, Toni Collette
Distributor Universal
WORTH $16.50
Released September 18

Were not scary, were just drawn that way!

...thoroughly entertaining...
Theres a lot to love about The Boxtrolls, a goofy
animated comedy thats fun for the whole family.
Based on Alan Snows childrens novel, Here Be
Monsters!, The Boxtrolls is set in the Victorian era, and
features a number of recognisable voices, including the
young and talented Isaac Hampstead Wright (Game Of
Thrones) and Elle Fanning, along with A-list stars, Ben

Kingsley, Nick Frost, and Simon Pegg.

The story focuses on a young orphan boy named Eggs
(Hampstead Wright), and his quest to protect a group of
underground cave-dwelling trash collectors referred to as
the Boxtrolls. With the help of a local girl named Winnie
(Fanning), Eggs sets out on a mission to take down
Archibald Snatcher (Ben Kingsley), an evil exterminator

IN BLOOM
Rating
Time
Country
Directors
Cast

TBC
102 minutes
Georgia/France
Nana Ekvtimishvili, Simon Gro
Lika Babluani, Mariam Bokeria,
Zurab Gogaladze, Data Zakareishvili
Distributor Palace
WORTH $16.00
Released September 25

Yep, its tough being the tall,

good looking one

tense, terse, gritty

and galvanising
Finding the ordinary in the extraordinary drives
In Bloom, as it tells of the post-Soviet Georgian
adolescent life of two young girls circa 1992. Of
course, what passes for mundane in a nation bristling with
the promise of civil war, and already fractured by violence,
poverty and patriarchal rule, is maddening and remarkable
for most. Those living the life day after day have no other

option but to adapt and accept in the name of survival,

even teenagers attempting to find their own way.
Fourteen-year-old best friends, Eka (Lika Babluani)
and Natia (Mariam Bokeria), are the average chalkand-cheese inseparable duo, the former bookish and
introverted, the latter just beginning to understand the
allure that her blossoming passage into womanhood

THE MAZE RUNNER

Rating
Time
Country
Director
Cast

M
113 minutes
USA
Wes Ball
Dylan OBrien, Kaya Scodelario, Thomas
Brodie-Sangster, Will Poulter
Distributor Fox
WORTH $11.50
Released September 18

Shit, I shouldve stayed in school!

...bloodless...
For the unaware, learning that The Maze Runner is
based on a trilogy of books is the last in a series of
disappointments. James Dashners Young Adult, postapocalyptic novels have been brought to life by graphics
designer turned first time director, Wes Ball. Brought
to life, however, may be a generous phrase. Given
that a grandiose premise underpins the entire story, its

unfortunate just how bloodless this entire film (read: setup

for parts two and three) actually is.
Thomas (Dylan OBrien) wakes in a noisy, cramped
cage. Unaware of who he is, where he is, or how he got
there, the frightened youngster is met by a community of
teenage boys who quickly reassure him that hes safe, and
that his memory will return they know because they also

who wishes to eliminate the Boxtrolls and join the towns

elite group of cheese connoisseurs.
The animation in The Boxtrolls is grandiose (courtesy
of Laika, the studio behind The Corpse Bride, Coraline
and ParaNorman), and they excel in constructing the
fictional town of Cheesebridge. The visuals will no doubt
impress, and there are a number of spectacular creations,
from Archibald Snatchers mega-drill to the gargantuan
cheese wheel that he wishes to feast upon. Thankfully,
there are also jokes aplenty for the adults, such as a
cross-dressing Archibald Snatcher and a number of subtle
jabs at convenient plot devices used in animated kids
movies. The Boxtrolls are a quirky and misunderstood
group of creatures, and their behaviour is often absurd,
yet amusing. A few twists and turns will keep viewers on
the edge of their seats, but the overall message is that
we should be accepting of one another. Its a thoroughly
entertaining comedy-adventure that will appeal to all
ages. Toli Papadopoulos

represents. Ignoring the sad state of their surroundings

is a coping mechanism, their non-rebellious disregard
as matter-of-fact an attitude as the nonplussed way
that they react to a handgun that finds its way into their
possession. The operating mind-set of aggression proves
an inevitable influence, as engrained a cultural tradition
as a marriage proposal by kidnapping. For the films pair of
protagonists, weaponry and a wedding by force combine
in a wholly unsettling drawn-from-reality scenario.
Based on writer and co-director, Nana Ekvtimishvilis
memories of childhood, In Bloom transcends and revises
coming-of-age confines in two aspects its normalising
of a blisteringly brutal situation, and its willingness to tell
only part of the tale. With fellow helmer, Simon Gro,
Ekvtimishvili relates an account of youthful unease and
feminist response as centred on Eka and Natias usual routine,
but the knowledge that a world of pain simmers outside
their immediate orbit is inescapable. Teen life in In Bloom is
tense, terse, gritty, and galvanising, but for its characters,
heartbreakingly, there is no other alternative. Sarah Ward

arrived at the small green patch known as The Glade just

the way that he did.
The Maze Runner triggers a lot of questions. Why is
this Glade surrounded by an impenetrable, concrete maze?
Who controls it? What are the robotic scorpions that live
inside it guarding? If youre looking for answers, you wont
find them in this installment, as Ball and his screenwriters
merely establish characters and smooth over any satisfying
narrative. Ball draws on his graphics past to create a
convincing world for Thomas and the boys to inhabit,
even if he cant convince us that their actions, motives or
behaviour theyre teenagers, not a SWAT team! are in
any way plausible. So why are these kids so cohesive given
that theyre complete strangers brought together inside
a trap? Back to the questions again, which makes for an
effective reflection on mazes in general, but its hardly a
satisfying oneparticularly when youll have to go through
it all over again, and again. Colin Fraser

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JOHN DOE: VIGILANTE

Rating
Time
Country
Director
Cast

MA
93 minutes
Australia
Kelly Dolen
Jamie Bamber, Lachy Hulme,
Sam Parsonson, Daniel Lissing
Distributor Monster
WORTH $15.00
Released October 16

The perils of speed dating

Great to look at...

Vigilantism falls into two distinct camps in cinema:
in the brightly coloured corner, we have Spider-Man
and Superman; in the dark, brooding corner, we have
Death Wish and Prisoners. The Australian film, John
Doe: Vigilante, which surfaced in America earlier this
year, falls very much into the latter group, applying the
themes of vigilantism to real life, with a view to asking us

uncomfortable questions.
Having dished out several servings of self-righteous
justice to Melbournes worst, John Doe (Jamie Bamber)
is awaiting his sentence in prison whilst being interviewed
by journalist, Ken Rutherford (Lachy Hulme). This creates
the storys backbone, as Rutherfords recognition of a
grey area in the concept of justice clashes with Does

FORCE MAJEURE
Rating
Time
Country
Director
Cast

M
119 minutes
Sweden
Ruben stlund
Brady Corbet, Johannes Bah Kuhnke,
Lisa Loven Kongsli
Distributor Sharmill
WORTH $17.50
Released October 16

Stop taking photos and run, you nimrods!

...provocative...
Soaked in Scandinavian cool, Ruben stlunds ski
resort shocker is the kind of arthouse drama that
Bergman or Haneke might make, pivoting as it does
on deep, psychological trauma. Even then, its unlikely
that theyd lend quite the same internal anxiety or external
discomfort achieved in this distressing movie.
Set over five days on a French mountain for well-heeled

holiday makers, events unfold in chapters marked by jarring

bursts of gothic Vivaldi. stlund deploys similar explosive
devices aimed at cracking the veneer of his outwardly
perfect Swedish family, and the sympathy of his audience.
Everything appears to be perfectly structured in the lives of
Tomas (Johannes Bah Kuhnke), Ebba (Lisa Loven Kongsli),
and their two children. Then a controlled avalanche a

SIDDHARTH
Rating
Time
Country
Director
Cast

M
97 minutes
India
Richie Mehta
Tannishtha Chatterjee, Rajesh Tailang,
Irfan Khan, Anurag Arora
Distributor Pinnacle
WORTH $15.50
Released October 9

Hey kid, you should team the

t-shirt with a scarf too.

modest yet moving

What would a father do to find his son? How
does the weight of guilt over his role in the
disappearance drive his actions? In Siddharth,
filmmaker, Richie Mehta, asks these questions and in
their wake, more spring. Mehtas feature is steeped in
the Indian class system that sees parents routinely send
their children away to work to help support the family.
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The sad state of affairs finds its basis in overworked law

enforcement, underfunded child welfare groups, and
a communal turning of a blind eye to the droves of the
unfortunate.
Mahendras (Rajesh Tailang) life is befitting of the
sympathy that Mehta subtly intends, as the writer/
director rips his tale not from the headlines, but from the

predilection for stark black and white. Scattered flashbacks

detail Rutherfords personal investigations into John Does
crimes, and the effect that theyre having nationally and
internationally.
Theres no escaping that John Doe: Vigilante is a heavily
politicised film, taking pot shots at the justice system,
the media, and larger societys general apathy toward
crime. The filmmakers have set up a what if worst
case scenario that only they know the response to. In a
manner reminiscent of Howard Beales rebel rouser cry
in Network, the vigilante at one point declares, We are
all John Doe! With its heavy violence and documentary
style, the film pokes its audience with a big, bloody stick to
open up debate. Where it stumbles is in its depictions of
John Does victims. Painted in broad strokes, they almost
insist upon a deliberate empathy with John Does actions.
Great to look at, and with an aftertaste that lingers, what
you get out of John Doe: Vigilante will depend solely on
the way that you swing with this thorny issue.
John Noonan

paradox that speaks to the entire film threatens veranda

tables where the family is eating. Its a terrifying moment,
and the diners panic: Ebba grabs the kids, and Tomas grabs
his phone and runs. Danger passes without incident, and
no one is harmed, at least physically. Emotionally, it is an
entirely different matter as they challenge one anothers
recollection of fight-or-flight, with damaging consequences.
stlund brings us into the most personal, seemingly
banal moments of this familys cool, ordered lives while
a passionate storm rages all around. Pivotal scenes
are shocking in their apparent simplicity: Ebba quietly
challenges Tomas over dinner with strangers, then noisily
in front of his best friend. Theyre devastating moments,
not simply for the circumstances of attack and defence,
but for the structural decay that they reveal. Like Haneke,
the pleasure of stlund is in his command of silence
and detail. A sigh or physical twitch says more than a line
of dialogue, and what it says is more alarming and more
provocative than anyone bargains for. Colin Fraser

many prevalent amongst New Delhis masses. The family

breadwinner fixes zippers to support his wife, young
daughter, and teenage Siddharth, but bussing the boy
off to a distant factory soon becomes the only option to
keep them all off the streets. A month later, Siddharth is
scheduled to return for a holiday, but doesnt make the
journey. Borrowing money from friends, Mahendra scours
the subcontinent in search of his missing offspring.
Earning comparisons to the Italian classic, The
Bicycle Thief, Siddharth boasts a social conscience and
a social realist approach, traversing the troubles of
the underprivileged with a keen eye, and unflinchingly
depicting the squalor of urban living. It evokes
compassion but largely from authenticity, in the hard slog
that faces Mahendra. The warm glow of the imagery and
the quaint lilt in the score threaten to heighten sentiment,
yet it feels intimate rather than manipulative. A stirring
central performance caps a modest yet moving slice of a
life fictionalised in its details but real in its sorrow.
Sarah Ward

FILM REVIEWS

JODOROWSKYS DUNE
Rating
Time
Country
Director
Cast

M
90 minutes
USA/France
Frank Pavich
Alejandro Jodorowsky, Brontis Jodorowsky,
H.R Giger, Richard Stanley
Distributor Disney
WORTH $18.50
Released September 18

You thought David Lynchs version didnt

make sense? You should have seen mine!

...must-see doco...
When you think about groundbreaking science
fiction, certain titles spring immediately to mind:
Metropolis, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Star Wars.
These are the movies that pushed the limits of what we
had seen on screen, and in turn inspired others to push
them further. But theres one other title that belongs on
the list that most people wont be familiar with. Were

talking about the astonishing adaptation of Frank Herberts

novel, Dune. No, not the terrible David Lynch version. The
one by Alejandro Jodorowsky. A work of jaw-dropping
style and unparalleled ambition, its a movie that shaped
the look and tone of dozens of future classics, from
Alien to The Matrix. What does it matter that it never
technically got made?

LAND OF THE BEARS

Rating
Time
Country
Director
Cast

G
86 minutes
France
Guillaume Vincent
20,000 bears

A bit of privacy please!

Distributor Icon
WORTH $12.00
Released September 25

little story to follow

In Russias Kamchatka Peninsula, 20,000 bears
sleep under the snow waiting for spring and the
hordes of salmon to arrive. This is how the majestically
shot Land Of The Bears begins. Shot in 3-D on location,
this documentary accesses a previously undiscovered
area, completely untouched by humans. The incredible
landscape, covered with snow and ice for eight months

of the year, is broken by a valley filled with hot springs,

and greenery supplied by thirty active volcanoes nearby.
Its a wonder to behold. As the bears awake from their
winter hibernation, the documentary follows their individual
stories, tracking them as they make their way back into the
world. But this is where the wonderment subsides and the
film is let down.

ADVANCED STYLE
Rating
Time
Country
Director
Cast

PG
72 minutes
USA
Lina Plioplyte
Joyce Carpati, Ari Seth Cohen,
Lynn Dell
Distributor Madman
WORTH $12.00
Released October 9

Now, you dont see that at McDonalds

celebratory
That age is no impediment to fashion is the mantra
of Advanced Style, one that it shouts rather than
whispers. Documentarian, Lina Plioplyte, assembles a
colourful collection of characters aged between 62 and
95 to share their sartorial wisdom and choices, each
devoted to dressing well and expressing their unique
personalities through clothing. The film capitalises in the

best way upon a recent cinema trend for capturing the

nicely attired, and clearly follows in the footsteps of the
beloved Bill Cunningham: New York and Diana Vreeland:
The Eye Has To Travel.
Advanced Style takes its name from Ari Seth Cohens
famed photography blog of the same name, which in turn
became a book. For four years, Cohen has captured well-

Directed by Frank Pavich, Jodorowskys Dune is the

years must-see doco for movie buffs. With complete
access to Jodorowsky, best known for his enduring cult
classics, El Topo and The Holy Mountain, Pavich dives
deep into the unmade projects history, from its nascent
origins to its eventual collapse. Its a fascinating, hilarious,
and often down-right mind-boggling tale, one that leaves
you desperately wishing that you could watch the actual
feature for yourself.
Of course, its probably best that you cant. No movie
could possibly have lived up to its directors sprawling
spiritual vision, even if he did somehow manage to enlist
Salvador Dali, Pink Floyd, Orson Welles, and countless
more. Better that it exists as a myth; a cautionary tale
about overreaching ambition, and a tribute to the incredible
power of cinema. Even at age 85, Jodorowsky has lost
none of his passion, spinning long and fascinating (if
frequently baffling) anecdotes that a film lover could listen
to for hours. And his description of the Lynch version?
Priceless. Tom Clift

Unlike a David Attenborough doco, which packs in tons

of information interspersed with spectacular landscape
and nature shots, Land Of The Bears merely follows a
select few animals to see how they fare. Unfortunately,
theres not enough meat on the proverbial salmon to keep
these stories engaging. One young bear, whos spending
his first summer away from his mother, and one young
mother and her two cubs, are the only two families whose
journey is returned to more than once, and the other
stories are lost among the 19,997 other bears exploring
the rivers during summer. With little story to follow, the
same information is repeated. While the fact that the bears
need to eat enough to survive another winter is interesting,
its heard so often that it almost becomes a mantra.
Its easy to lose yourself in the landscape and the
animals, but if you actually want to learn more about the
stunningly large amount of bears that live in this area, this
is not the film to see. Rhiannon Sawyer

dressed women aged fifty and over as they walk down New
York Citys streets. The documentary starts by showing his
exploits, though it swiftly evolves away from its framing
device. First-time director, Lina Plioplyte, hones in on seven
grand dames of fashion who have caught Cohens gaze,
chronicling not just their wardrobes, but their lives, loves,
lost dreams, and increasing health ailments.
Witty one-liners flow freely from the films subjects,
in keeping with the celebratory spirit of the documentary.
I really am an artist, and my art is dressing, 62-year-old
Tziporah Salamon decrees; I never wanted to look young;
I wanted to look great, eighty-year-old Joyce Carpati
advises. Charm radiates, as does obvious elegance, but
even at only 72 minutes, much of the feature feels slight and
superficial instead of insightful and informative. The forays
that it makes into convention-defying topics, touching upon
the industrys and societys overwhelming penchant
for youth and conformity, are welcome in their all-too-brief
inclusion, adding a dash of depth to what amounts to a light
hearted portrait of ageing gracefully. Sarah Ward
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BEFORE I GO TO SLEEP
Rating
Time
Country
Director
Cast

Oh my god, what a shithouse selfie!

TBC
92 minutes
USA, UK, France, Sweden
Rowan Joffe
Nicole Kidman, Colin Firth,
Mark Strong, Anne-Marie Duff
Distributor STUDIOCANAL
WORTH $9.50
Released October 16

daft
No front-loading of Oscar-worthy talent or uttering
that over-used adjective, Hitchcockian, can disguise
the fact that Rowan Joffes daft thriller, Before I Go To
Sleep, is anything more than a high concept, low IQ, airport
novel of a film. Spinning on the same premise as Adam
Sandlers 50 First Dates, this over-produced, undercooked
thriller proposes that our protagonist, Christine (a game

Nicole Kidman), awakens each day to a clean-slate

memory, and must create for herself an identity and
detailed life, all before bedtime. Colin Firth claims to be
her husband, and she may or may not be having an affair
with her doctor (Mark Strong). Post-it notes and voice
messages convince her of a partial reality, but she is soon
seeking past truths.

HUMAN CAPITAL
Rating
Time
Country
Director
Cast

TBC
110 minutes
Italy
Paolo Virzi
Fabrizio Bentivoglio, Valeria Bruni
Tedeschi, Matilde Gioli, Giovanni Anzaldo
Distributor Hi Gloss
WORTH $16.50
Released December

You shouldnt smoke in bed? Whatever

..wholly Italian, but

also universal
Similar to Guillaume Canets adaptation of Harlan
Cobens novel with Tell No One, one of Italys most revered
modern filmmakers, Paolo Virzi (Caterina In The Big City, The
First Beautiful Thing) has taken an American novel, in this case,
Stephen Amidons Human Capital, and transplanted it to a
European location, Brianza near Milan, and made something
not only wholly Italian, but also universal.

Kicking off with a seemingly harmless accident, the film

then unravels in three chapters, following a troika of characters
and their separate lives that led to, and follow the incident.
Firstly, theres Dino (familiar Italian thesp Fabrizio Bentivoglio),
a simple guy who aspires to mix it with highflying financial
types. By chance he happens to become the tennis partner of
one such financial type, and invests more than he can afford.

ROCK THE CASBAH

Rating
Time
Country
Director
Cast

M
99 minutes
France/Morocco
Laila Marrakchi
Omar Sharif, Nadine Labaki,
Lubna Azabal, Hiam Abbass
Distributor Pinnacle
WORTH $14.00
Released September 18

Im so glad they brought I Wanna

Marry Harry back!

...engaging, if slightly
predictable...
In the Morocco-set Rock The Casbah, theres plenty
of drama to keep you looking at the characters
over the picturesque landscape, but every dramatic
scene is accompanied by distracting swathes of
delicious food. Giant bowls of honey, freshly made mint
tea, plates of couscousMorocco looks like a place for
the culinary tourist. This level of eye catching food doesnt
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bode well for the drama.

The reason why everyone comes together to break
delicious fresh bread in this family drama is this: Moulay
(Omar Sharif), the paternal head of a wealthy family,
has suddenly died. According to tradition, the family
comes together for three days to mourn him, so his three
daughters return to the family home to sit with their

Director Joffe (son of Roland, he of The Killing Fields

and The Mission fame) kept his penchant for gaudy
flourishes mostly in check for his 2010 debut, Brighton
Rock. Conversely, his follow-up embraces with a garish
glee the melodrama inherent to the premise; the finales
overwrought emoting leaves no scenery un-chewed.
Such excess would not prove such a burden had the
cast been in on the joke, but the three leads play out the
preposterous premise as if it were of Shakespearean
importance. This sort of malarkey has to move fast,
skimming over plot contrivances with confidence and
style, yet neither are evident.
Author, S.J. Watson, a British clinical audiologist, drew
high praise for the films source material. Constructed
as journal entries that help Christine regain her memory,
it was inventive, gripping fiction that subverted its
own silliness. Not so the adaptation; forgotten are the
psychological underpinnings and involving first person
narrative, now replaced by rote machinations, showy
violence, and a tinny emptiness. Simon Foster

Secondly, theres the financial types trophy wife, Carla (Valeria

Bruni Tedeschi), who dreams of relaunching a rundown theatre
in order to rekindle her youthful dreams of the stage. And lastly,
theres Dinos daughter, Serena (Matilde Gioli), who is going
out with the financial types reckless son, or is she? With a few
overlapping scenes between the characters, Virzi is almost able
to squeeze three films worth of narrative into his well-paced
tale.
With its not-too-subtle social comment, multiple character
narrative, mixed within a thriller framework, Virzis film will
appeal to local audiences who embraced Lantana back in
2001, arguably Australias last modern classic. There are
various similarities in the way that it humanises its multifarious
characters and manages to tell a gripping story at its centre.
Of particular note is Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, who of late has
concentrated on directing herself in indulgent French dramas,
whereas here, speaking Italian, this tall and striking actress is
classy, fragile, empathetic and compassionate, all at the same
time. Dov Kornits

mother. As the sisters spend more time together, their

history is aired, passions run high, and old family secrets
are exposed.
Rock The Casbah is a perfectly entertaining film.
Sophomore director, Laila Marrakchi, crafts a tapestry of
vivid visuals; the sisters are richly portrayed (including by
the talented Nadine Labaki from 2007s Caramel); and
the story is engaging, if slightly predictable, with shades
of humour cutting through the drama. The script (which
interestingly boasts French horror maestro, Alexandre Aja,
as a consultant), however, is uneven: tension between
characters bursts out in the middle of an otherwise calm
meal, only to be resolved again two seconds later when
someone cracks a joke. But perhaps this is not so unlike
an actual family dinner where old rivalries can spark up
and be forgotten before dessert is served. If youre in the
mood for a solid family story, Rock The Casbah should
at least partially satisfy. Just make sure that you have
dinner reservations for after the film youll be hungry for
something more. Rhiannon Sawyer

FILM REVIEWS

THE DOG

www.antennafestival.org/

Rating
Time
Country
Directors
Cast

NA
100 minutes
USA
Allison Berg, Frank Keraudren
John Wojtowicz, Carmen Bifulco ,
Jeremy Bowker
Distributor Antenna Documentary Film Festival
WORTH $18.00
Released October 14-19 (Sydney)

riveting and
affecting

Troublingon so many levels

Sidney Lumets great 1975 film, Dog Day Afternoon,

was the strange-but-true story of a man, played
unforgettably by Al Pacino, who staged a bank
robbery to pay for his lovers sex-change operation
and of the hostage situation which ensued. This
riveting and affecting documentary is about that man, John
Wojtowicz.

Though Dog Day Afternoon was evidently pretty accurate

as far as it went, Wojtowicz full story is even stranger, at
least in its details. Wojtowicz changed from conservative
republican, married man, and Vietnam veteran to peacenik,
self-described pervert, gay activistand bank robber.
Theres relatively little about the 1972 siege replete with
about 2,000 onlookers in the street outside the Brooklyn

THE NEW YORK REVIEW OF BOOKS: A 50 YEAR ARGUMENT

Rating
Time
Country
Directors
Cast

NA
97 minutes
USA
Martin Scorsese, David Tedeschi
Timothy Garton Ash, James Baldwin,
Mary Beard
Distributor Antenna Documentary Film Festival
WORTH $14.00
Released October 14-19 (Sydney)

Theyre called books, kids!

moderately
interesting
If youre part of that ever-dwindling minority who still
read books, you may like this documentary directed
by no less than Martin Scorsese, along with editor, David
Tedeschi, with whom he collaborated on the music films,
Shine A Light and George Harrison: Living In The Material
World about one of the English speaking worlds more
distinguished forums for criticism. The New York Review Of

Books first appeared in 1963, during an opportune strike at

The New York Times, and amazingly still has its original
editor (and co-founder), Robert Silvers. He is featured here,
of course, as are many of the towering cultural figures of the
period: Norman Mailer, James Baldwin, W.H. Auden, Susan
Sontag , Gore Vidal, and Noam Chomsky, to name but a few.
The magazine has always encompassed a lot more

POINT & SHOOT

Rating
Time
Country
Director
Cast
Distributor
WORTH
Released

NA
83 minutes
USA
Marshall Curry
Matt Van Dyke
Antenna Documentary Film Festival
$18.00
October 14-19 (Sydney)

www.antennafestival.org/

than literary reviews. Its content has included investigative

reporting and ongoing intellectual debates (frequently intense
hence the films subtitle),while the form has often extended
to that of the epically long extended essay. And its been
consistently sceptical about State power, and has championed
human rights and Enlightenment values, while tending to
reflect left/liberal political sympathies.
However laudable, none of the above necessarily makes for
compulsive viewing, and at times the doco seems padded, or
strays into slightly pompous and self-congratulatory territory.
Still, theres enough historical and newsreel footage from
The Vietnam War right through to The Arab Spring to
keep things watchable, and the magazines contributors are
conversationally lively and arresting. There are moments of
pathos too, notably involving the troubled bipolar poet, Robert
Lowell. The Irish writer, Colm Toibin, congratulates The New
York Review Of Books for engendering the notion that ideas
were maybe sensuous. That is itself an interesting idea, but
this is only a moderately interesting film. Mark Demetrius

www.antennafestival.org/

Endangered species? Says who?

admirably
even-handed
Baltimore resident, Matt Van Dyke, has always been
a self-confessed adventure enthusiast. Footage of
him as a young boy heralding himself as the new Indiana
Jones, or sentimental recollections of his first viewing of
David Leans Lawrence Of Arabia, punctuate the first half
hour of Marshall Currys (Street Fight, If A Tree Falls) new
documentary, Point And Shoot. The film follows Van Dyke

bank and its culmination occurs halfway through this doco.

But what might have been anti-climactic is, if anything, even
more fascinating than what went before. Wojtowicz spent
seven years in an extremely tough prison. We hear from and
about his longsuffering wife, his even longer-suffering mother,
his epileptic and intellectually disabled brother, and Ernie/Liz
(the transsexual lover). Then theres George the jailhouse
lawyer...suffice to say that fate has not been particularly kind
to most of the key figures.
John Wojtowicz emerges as (by turns) romantic
and callously selfish, brutally frank and pathetically selfdeluded a show-off who doesnt really understand
what hes showing. The Dog is revelatory not just about
his own complex and contradictory personality and the
subsequent lives of those he knew but about the general
human needs for attention, affection, and vindication, and
a lot more besides. Its deftly made, and includes a lot of
archival footage and extensive interviews with most of the
protagonists. But most of all, its just very sad. Mark
Demetrius

over five extraordinary years, as the young mans thirst

for romantic exploit saw him tour Africa on a motorcycle,
smuggle himself into Iraq, and ultimately join the Libyan
revolution that eventually succeeded in overthrowing
Muammar Gaddafi.
Did Van Dyke, an American who had made Libyan
friends through his travels, really have a place fighting

alongside the rebels? Probably not, but the man genuinely

appears to believe that he entered the fray out of a sense
of duty to his friends rather than a misplaced sense
of adventure, or an overly enthusiastic admiration for
weaponry. Theres a rationality to the way in which Van
Dyke relates his story which helps support his claim that
he acted out of obligation, and that his place in Libya was
warranted.
In the hands of Curry, a two-time Academy Award
nominee, Point And Shoot is admirably even-handed in
its approach. The film neither condones nor impugns
Van Dykes actions, simply presenting the events as the
utterly incredible story that they are. Obsession has been
a prevalent motif in Currys work, and his examination of
Van Dykes fascination with global exploration is one of his
finest works to date. Theres nothing particularly political
about Point And Shoot, but Van Dykes journey from an
obsessive-compulsive Baltimore resident to an audacious
freedom fighter in the desert of Libya is an astounding one.
John Roebuck
WWW.FILMINK.COM.AU FILMINK 81

DARKER THAN MIDNIGHT

Rating
Time
Country
Director
Cast
Distributor
WORTH
Released

www.italianfilmfestival.com.au/

NA
98 minutes
Italy
Sebastiano Riso
David Capone, Giovanni Gulizia
The Lavazza Italian Film Festival
$15.00
Mel (Sep 17-Oct 12), Syd (Sep 18-Oct 12),
Can (Sep 23-Oct 15), Per (Sep 24-Oct 15),
Bris (Oct 1-22), Ade (Oct 2-22),
Byron (Oct 9-15), Hob (Oct 16-22)

graceful, restless
poetry

Dont tell anyone, but Im not a natural redhead!

When were introduced to our fourteen-year-old,

David Bowie-idolising protagonist, their gender
is deliberately obscured by a delicate frame, fine
features, and a mop of long red hair. We soon learn
that its a young boy named Davide (quietly arresting
newcomer, Davide Capone), who is yearning to be a girl.
Its a transition that his hostile father (Vincenzo Amato)

attempts to stamp out in a couple of heartbreaking scenes.

Davides traumatic relationship with his father told via
a series of flashbacks eventually leads the young boy
to take to the streets, where he finds acceptance and
friendship with an effeminate hustler named La Rettore
(Giovanni Gulizia, who lights up all his scenes) and his
band of gay and transgender outcasts. They steal and sell

I CAN QUIT WHENEVER I WANT

Rating
Time
Country
Director
Cast
Distributor
WORTH
Released

NA
100 minutes
Italy
Sydney Sibilia
Edoardo Leo, Valeria Solarino
The Lavazza Italian Film Festival
$16.50
Mel (Sep 17-Oct 12), Syd (Sep 18-Oct 12),
Can (Sep 23-Oct 15), Per (Sep 24-Oct 15),
Bris (Oct 1-22), Ade (Oct 2-22),
Byron (Oct 9-15), Hob (Oct 16-22)

The Hangover, Italian style

a crowd-pleaser
Pietro is a brilliant but frustrated college professor
who, despite his obvious smarts, is struggling to
make ends meet. His wife is on his back, the bills are
piling up, and the kids that hes tutoring on the side are
ripping him off. When hes laid off by the university, the
quietly humiliated Pietro decides to use his chemistry
knowledge to put a high-end new drug on the market,

and earn some cash in the process. Sounding familiar?

Lets just say that the debut feature of writer/director,
Sydney Sibilia, borrows liberally from Breaking Bad. One
would assume that setting up comparisons with that
classic television series is simply inviting failure, but I Can
Quit Whenever I Want fortunately evolves into something
different. Playing its laughs more broadly, its ultimately a

THOSE HAPPY YEARS

Rating
Time
Country
Director
Cast
Distributor
WORTH
Released

NA
106 minutes
Italy
Daniele Luchetti
Rossi Stuart, Micaela Ramazzotti
The Lavazza Italian Film Festival
$16.50
Mel (Sep 17-Oct 12), Syd (Sep 18-Oct 12),
Can (Sep 23-Oct 15), Per (Sep 24-Oct 15),
Bris (Oct 1-22), Ade (Oct 2-22),
Byron (Oct 9-15), Hob (Oct 16-22)

www.italianfilmfestival.com.au/

crowd-pleaser with a delightfully dark edge to it.

Much of the films humour derives from Pietro (To Rome
With Loves Edoardo Leo) recruiting his old university
colleagues a group of economists, chemists, and
anthropologists to help him create and sell the new drug.
Theyre a mismatched but irresistible set of characters,
and their mixture of bravado and naivety is the catalyst for
hilarious situations, with their attempt to rob a pharmacy
a classic. Its scenes like these that make up for one too
many script contrivances does Pietros wife really need
to counsel recovering drug addicts?
Nevertheless, theres something that sticks here
amongst the laughs. A real economic and job crisis is
rocking Italy, and while Sibilia wraps his film with a caustic
wit, theres also a poignancy about this group of gifted
academics who are made redundant and forced to earn
their keep in kitchens and petrol stations. Its a resonant,
incisive commentary that underpins a rollicking and fun
film. Cara Nash

www.italianfilmfestival.com.au/

Modern artyeah, thats what they all say

bittersweet
Relaying an unravelling relationship through the
eyes of a child always gives a story a bittersweet
sting, as is the case with director, Daniele Luchettis
autobiographical latest work, Those Happy Years.
Here the child is Dario, whos looking back as an adult on a
tumultuous few weeks with his family in Rome circa 1974.
The father of the family is Guido (the suave and
82 FILMINK WWW.FILMINK.COM.AU

themselves to make ends meet, and its a choice that

begins to feel wrenchingly inevitable for Davide.
The confident directorial debut of Sebastiano Riso,
Darker Than Midnight is based on the early teenage years
of Davide Cordova, who endured a rough adolescence
before eventually achieving fame in Rome as the drag
queen, Fuxia. Thus, in relaying the story, its disappointing
that a number of the supporting characters from the
overbearing Catholic father to Davides eccentric new
group of friends feel like weary clichs whose surfaces
we merely skim. But its ultimately Davides story, and the
young Capone essays him beautifully, with a mixture of shy
passivity and deep, untouchable anguish. Riso occasionally
succumbs to grating stylistic choices, but he also finds
a graceful, restless poetry in this sad, bruised world. Its
in these moments that Darker Than Midnight feels like a
kindred spirit to the work of Gus Van Sant, a practiced hand
at crafting compassionate cinematic poems to wayward
teens. Cara Nash

perfectly cast Rossi Stuart), an ambitious but unknown

avant-garde artist, whose work involves sculpting and
painting naked female bodies. Dario (Samuel Garofalo) and
his little brother, Paolo (NiccoloCalvagna), spend their time
hanging out in their fathers studio, until Guido kicks them
out when he needs private work time with the models.
Their mother is Serena (the radiant Micaela Ramazzotti),

who may not understand modern art, but understands

all too well what her attractive spouse is getting up to
behind her back. When Guido blows up at Serena following
a botched art show, she rebels and heads to a feminist
retreat with her two boys (and one very friendly female
pal), forcing her husband to rethink his work and marriage.
While Guido and Serena appear to be a self-absorbed
set of parents (one immersed in his work, and the other
solely in her husbands attention) from the outset, its
to Luchettis credit that the film never stops revealing
both these characters. We learn that Guidos arrogance
and anguish largely derives from a mother who never
stops criticising her son, while Serenas transition from
an insecure housewife to a woman who regains her
independence feels honest and courageous. But in many
ways, Those Happy Years is an ode to the resilience of
children. Yes, theres pain and sadness here, but its also
remembered with warmth and affection. Cara Nash

SEPTEMBER 18
THE BOXTROLLS (Universal)
THE HOUSE OF MAGIC (STUDIOCANAL) Family. Voice
Cast: Murray Blue. Directors: Jeremy Degruson, Ben Stassen.
THE INFINITE MAN (Infinite Releasing)
JODOROWSKYS DUNE (Disney)
THE MAZE RUNNER (Fox)
PLANES: FIRE & RESCUE (Disney) Family. Voice Cast: Dane
Cook. Director: Roberts Gannaway.
ROCK THE CASBAH (Pinnacle)
SIN CITY: A DAME TO KILL FOR (Icon)
WE ARE THE BEST! (NewVision)
WISH I WAS HERE (Transmission) Drama. Cast: Zach Braff,
Kate Hudson. Director: Zach Braff.
SEPTEMBER 25
THE EQUALIZER (Roadshow) Crime. Cast: Denzel
Washington. Director: Antoine Fuqua.
IN BLOOM (Palace)
LAND OF THE BEARS (Icon) Documentary.
LIFE OF CRIME (Madman) Comedy. Cast: Jennifer Aniston.
Director: Daniel Schechter.
THE LITTLE DEATH (eOne)
THE SKELETON TWINS (Sony)
OCTOBER 2
ADVANCED STYLE (Madman)
ANNABELLE (Roadshow) Horror. Cast: Alfre Woodard.
Director: John R. Leonetti.
DRACULA UNTOLD (Universal) Horror. Cast: Luke Evans.
Director: Gary Shore.
GONE GIRL (Fox) Thriller. Cast: Ben Affleck.

Director: David Fincher.

OBVIOUS CHILD (Disney)
OCTOBER 9
THE CASE AGAINST 8 (Leap Frog Films) Documentary.
Cast: Ted Olson. Directors: Ben Cotner, Ryan White.
THE JUDGE (Warner) Drama. Cast: Robert Downey Jr.
Director: David Dobkin.
SIDDHARTH (Pinnacle)
OCTOBER 16
BEFORE I GO TO SLEEP (STUDIOCANAL)
FORCE MAJEURE (Sharmill)
JOHN DOE: VIGILANTE (Monster)
SON OF A GUN (eOne)
TAMMY (Roadshow) Comedy. Cast: Melissa McCarthy.
Director: Ben Falcone.
A WALK AMONG THE TOMBSTONES (Roadshow)
Thriller. Cast: Liam Neeson. Director: Scott Frank.
OCTOBER 23
DECODING ANNIE PARKER (Pinnacle) Drama. Cast: Aaron
Paul. Director: Steven Bernstein.
FURY (Sony) War. Cast: Brad Pitt, Shia LaBeouf. Director:
David Ayer.
HECTOR AND THE SEARCH FOR HAPPINESS (Becker)
Drama. Cast: Simon Pegg. Director: Peter Chelsom.
LIVING IS EASY (WITH EYES CLOSED) (Palace) Drama.
Cast: Javier Camara. Director: David Trueba.
PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 5 (Paramount) Horror. Cast:
Katie Featherston. Director: Gregory Plotkin.
THIS IS WHERE I LEAVE YOU (Warner) Comedy. Cast:

Jason Bateman. Director: Shawn Levy.

WHIPLASH (Sony) Drama. Cast: Miles Teller. Director:
Damien Chazelle.
OCTOBER 30
THE BEST OF ME (Roadshow) Romance. Cast: James
Marsden, Michelle Monaghan. Director: Michael Hoffman.
FOR NO GOOD REASON (Sony) Documentary. Cast: Ralph
Steadman, Johnny Depp. Director: Charlie Paul.
GET ON UP (Universal) Drama. Cast: Chadwick Boseman.
Director: Tate Taylor.
HOUSEBOUND (Rialto) Horror. Cast: Morgana OReilly.
Director: Gerard Johnstone.
KILL THE MESSENGER (Transmission) Thriller. Cast:
Jeremy Renner. Director: Michael Cuesta.
KUNG FU JUNGLE (Vendetta) Action. Cast: Donnie Yen.
Director: Teddy Chan.
PRIDE (eOne) Drama. Cast: Bill Nighy. Director: Matthew
Warchus.
THE TALE OF THE PRINCESS KAGUYA (Madman) Family.
Voice Cast: Aki Asakura. Director: Isao Takahata.
WILLIAM KELLYS WAR (IFM/Filmways) Drama. Cast:
Tony Bonner. Director: Geoff Davis.
THE YOUNG & PRODIGIOUS T.S.SPIVET (Potential)
Adventure. Cast: Kyle Catlett. Director: Jean-Pierre Jeunet.

AUSTRALIAN BOX OFFICE

JULY 31 AUGUST 6
LUCY (UNIVERSAL)
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (WALT DISNEY)
HERCULES (PARAMOUNT)
MRS. BROWNS BOYS DMOVIE (UNIVERSAL)
DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES (FOX)
SEX TAPE (SONY PICTURES)
DELIVER US FROM EVIL (SONY PICTURES)
A MOST WANTED MAN (ROADSHOW)
JERSEY BOYS (WARNER BROS)
THESE FINAL HOURS (ROADSHOW)
CALVARY (TRANSMISSION)
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2 (FOX)
22 JUMP STREET (SONY PICTURES)
MONTY PYTHON LIVE (MOSTLY) (EX PICTUREHOUSE)
TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION (PARAMOUNT)
THE LUNCHBOX (MADMAN)
RIO 2 (FOX)
THE HUNDRED-FOOT JOURNEY (WALT DISNEY)
STILL LIFE (PALACE)
CHARLIES COUNTRY (ENTERTAINMENT ONE)

$6,141,579
$2,320,047
$1,925,835
$1,259,806
$1,177,537
$1,029,751
$711,784
$429,731
$404,407
$301,308
$296,029
$262,530
$225,425
$223,918
$211,621
$208,166
$150,201
$144,328
$121,785
$116,050

$19,313
$5,249
$4,367
$4,718
$2,817
$3,857
$4,622
$9,342
$1,908
$1,837
$2,902
$1,281
$1,943
$1,646
$1,080
$4,956
$878
$2,291
$8,699
$2,901

$6,143,992
$2,320,047
$6,475,150
$3,730,677
$17,259,774
$6,256,985
$2,047,291
$432,164
$7,298,965
$309,196
$2,128,857
$25,875,026
$22,568,283
$223,918
$26,729,971
$1,119,662
$11,832,487
$144,328
$366,219
$479,676

AUGUST 7 AUGUST 13
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (WALT DISNEY)
LUCY (UNIVERSAL)
HERCULES (PARAMOUNT)
THE HUNDRED-FOOT JOURNEY (WALT DISNEY)
AND SO IT GOES (STUDIOCANAL)
MRS. BROWNS BOYS DMOVIE (UNIVERSAL)
SEX TAPE (SONY PICTURES)
DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES (FOX)
DELIVER US FROM EVIL (SONY PICTURES)
A MOST WANTED MAN (ROADSHOW)
MONTY PYTHON LIVE (MOSTLY) (EX PICTUREHOUSE)
BEGIN AGAIN (ROADSHOW)
CALVARY (TRANSMISSION)
JERSEY BOYS (WARNER BROS)
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2 (FOX)
THE LUNCHBOX (MADMAN)
THESE FINAL HOURS (ROADSHOW)
RIO 2 (FOX)
STILL LIFE (PALACE)
CHARLIES COUNTRY (ENTERTAINMENT ONE)

AUGUST 14 AUGUST 20
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (WALT DISNEY)
THE HUNDRED-FOOT JOURNEY (WALT DISNEY)
THE EXPENDABLES 3 (ROADSHOW)
LUCY (UNIVERSAL)
HERCULES (PARAMOUNT)
BEGIN AGAIN (ROADSHOW)
AND SO IT GOES (STUDIOCANAL)
SEX TAPE (SONY PICTURES)
MRS. BROWNS BOYS DMOVIE (UNIVERSAL)
DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES (FOX)
A MOST WANTED MAN (ROADSHOW)
SINGHAM RETURNS (EROS AUSTRALIA)
DELIVER US FROM EVIL (SONY PICTURES)
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2 (FOX)
CALVARY (TRANSMISSION)
ANJAAN (INDIES)
POSTMAN PAT: THE MOVIE (PINNACLE FILMS)
THE LUNCHBOX (MADMAN)
GODS NOT DEAD (CROSSROADS)
RIO 2 (FOX)

$5,353,563
$3,063,526
$2,284,390
$2,225,439
$452,408
$396,225
$343,480
$326,475
$326,074
$268,435
$239,920
$202,066
$163,853
$154,349
$127,130
$116,792
$113,516
$94,874
$92,305
$90,604

$9,392
$9,312
$7,539
$10,751
$2,124
$5,742
$1,798
$2,889
$1,622
$2,182
$5,332
$10,635
$2,276
$1,513
$1,718
$12,977
$799
$2,433
$8,391
$925

$16,229,827
$3,985,636
$2,284,390
$11,811,467
$7,886,144
$671,664
$1,108,798
$7,183,501
$4,663,689
$18,117,613
$1,004,081
$202,066
$2,604,394
$26,210,114
$2,475,746
$116,792
$118,322
$1,371,323
$92,305
$12,027,807

AUGUST 21 AUGUST 27
THE INBETWEENERS 2 (ROADSHOW)
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (WALT DISNEY)
THE HUNDRED-FOOT JOURNEY (WALT DISNEY)
LUCY (UNIVERSAL)
THE EXPENDABLES 3 (ROADSHOW)
DR WHO: DEEP BREATH (SHARMILL)
BEGIN AGAIN (ROADSHOW)
HERCULES (PARAMOUNT)
FREEDOM (II) (HERITAGE)
A MOST WANTED MAN (ROADSHOW)
SEX TAPE (SONY PICTURES)
AND SO IT GOES (STUDIOCANAL)
THE 100 YEAR OLD MAN WHO CLIMBED
OUT THE WINDOW AND DISAPPEARED (STUDIOCANAL)
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2 (FOX)
MRS. BROWNS BOYS DMOVIE (UNIVERSAL)
DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES (FOX)
DEEPSEA CHALLENGE 3D (LABEL)
20,000 DAYS ON EARTH (MADMAN)
THE LUNCHBOX (MADMAN)
CALVARY (TRANSMISSION)

$8,543,366
$3,441,198
$909,741
$759,097
$713,881
$606,499
$599,519
$588,391
$392,968
$330,333
$235,192
$231,926
$219,551
$198,523
$180,614
$156,787
$113,926
$104,716
$103,256
$81,066

$14,579
$10,151
$3,499
$2,965
$3,777
$2,684
$2,924
$2,615
$2,692
$7,181
$1,897
$5,798
$2,052
$1,697
$1,082
$3,484
$695
$770
$6,074
$2,384

$10,863,413
$9,586,028
$7,423,948
$903,425
$765,318
$4,337,655
$6,856,830
$17,849,178
$2,440,540
$763,071
$459,110
$276,384
$2,349,005
$7,499,023
$26,055,765
$1,276,449
$424,018
$11,937,203
$469,475
$560,742

$4,023,690
$3,396,885
$2,487,704
$1,499,709
$1,155,479
$649,069
$416,472
$184,386
$174,512
$164,206
$155,895
$154,053

$13,064
$7,077
$7,774
$5,790
$3,813
$4,446
$4,627
$1,452
$1,781
$3,819
$2,165
$1,041

$4,114,728
$19,926,380
$6,482,707
$13,329,760
$3,443,968
$649,069
$1,090,231
$8,087,882
$174,512
$1,168,577
$7,339,449
$1,262,851

$153,971
$125,806
$119,017
$116,138
$112,000
$102,426
$79,180
$77,971

$4,399
$925
$1,009
$1,733
$2,036
$8,536
$3,770
$1,344

$209,781
$26,335,920
$4,797,000
$18,233,855
$120,816
$163,595
$1,450,503
$2,534,477

WWW.FILMINK.COM.AU FILMINK 83

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DVD & BLU-RAY REVIEWS and FEATURES

INVADERS

As FARSCAPE: THE COMPLETE SEASON ONE and FARSCAPE: THE COMPLETE SEASON TWO make their debut on Blu-ray, stars,
BEN BROWDER and GIGI EDGLEY, reminisce about the cult sci-fi series. BY JAMES FLETCHER & DOV KORNITS

h man, I want to go to Sydney. I want to go

there right now, laughs actor, Ben Browder, on
the line from the US. I used to read FilmInk all
the time. I used to pick it up at Burger Man once
a month. And I used to think, They have no
idea, nor do they care, that Farscape is being shot in Sydney
right now! Id pick it up to read about all of my mates that
were doing a film somewhere else. Its awesome. I saw you
on the interview list and I thought, Finally, Ive made it into
FilmInk! Though duly stoked with this admission, FilmInk
is quick to point out, however, that we did, in fact, feature
Ben Browder in the mag just after his Sydney-shot series,
Farscape, was sadly cancelled. I never got to read that
one, he sighs. They booted me out of the country!
The US-backed Farscape enjoyed four years of
production from 1999 to 2003 at Sydneys Waterfront
Studios at Homebush Bay, and boasted some of the most
dynamic set design, visual effects wizardry, and puppeteers
in the industry. Cutting its own unique niche in the difficult

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sci-fi genre, Farscape was a hybrid of local and off shore

talent, and quickly established a cult following. Reminiscent
of classic science fiction series like Buck Rogers and Flash
Gordon, Farscape spun around Ben Browders character
of John Crichton, an Earth astronaut flung to the furthest
reaches of the universe who finds himself part of a fugitive
alien starship crew. I still love the show, Browder tells
FilmInk. Part of it is nostalgia, because I was living in
Sydney, and it was such a great part of my life.
In fact, theres a certain big screen movie on right now
that made Browder think even harder about Farscape.
Guardians Of The Galaxy is a great movie, but I promise you,
I checked my drawers to make sure that someone hadnt
stolen my underwear, the actor laughs. Its so Farscape,
man! The tenor of the piece, the style of it, the relationshipbased science fiction, and all that cool crap that they had in
that movieI went, It just feels like home! Its awesome!
Its possible that [the films director] James Gunn never saw
an episode of Farscape, but there are so many parallels. I felt

like I needed to be in that cast! Im pretty sure that Im StarLords dad! I was directing my first movie in Texas [Bad Kids
Go 2 Hell] when the movie came out, and one of my kids
saw the movie on opening weekend, and he texted me to
say that I needed to be in the next Guardians Of The Galaxy
movie. Ive always read science fiction and fantasy for most
of my life. Its my first port of call when Im searching for a
movie. Im guilty of geekdom!
Though boasting wonderful practical creature work
(long before the saturation of CGI) from The Jim Henson
Company, and consistently arresting special effects, the
success of Farscape like all good science fiction, and
indeed, all good drama was built on its characters. Along
with Browders John Crichton, one of the vital lynchpins
on the show was Chiana, a grey-skinned alien who is also
a rebellious con artist and thief. The role was cannily and
thoughtfully played by Aussie actress, Gigi Edgley (Last Train
To Freo), the daughter of famed Australian concert promoter,
Michael Edgley. It was phenomenal, Edgley tells FilmInk

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY IS A GREAT MOVIE, BUT I PROMISE

YOU, I CHECKED MY DRAWERS TO MAKE SURE THAT SOMEONE
HADNT STOLEN MY UNDERWEAR. ITS SO FARSCAPE, MAN!
of her time on Farscape. When I got the audition for the
role, I rang up my mum immediately because she believes
in aliens and things that come from outer space. I said,
Mum, I got this audition for an alien! And she goes, I
know that youre going to get it because youve grown
up with aliens your whole life! There were ten auditions,
including costume fittings and screen tests. They had to
take me to the orthodontist, and then to the eye doctor,
because there are all these prosthetic things with the
character. When I got dressed in the costume, it was a
five-hour makeup test. I looked at the character in the
mirror, and I went, This is just beautiful! This is an actors
dream! I was playing a creature that has no rules or
boundaries, and that doesnt need to act like something
that weve seen before. When I knew that I had the role,
I sat myself down and really concentrated on putting a
vision in my head and my heart. I wanted this character
to be on a par with all the amazing Henson characters
that Ive met growing up. That was a real inspiration
for me. And then they asked me to stick around for five
years, so something worked!
Edgley, like the entire cast, was given a lot of room to
move with her character. They would let me do anything
that I wanted, the actress says of the shows producers.
They let us go off-script all the time. They trusted us
with the characters, because we knew exactly where
these characters were going, and as long as it served the
greater purpose of serving the script, they allowed us to
invent mannerisms. So many fans say that Chiana moves
like a bird or a cat, and they ask me how I interpreted that
direction. And I say that it all went from my heart and
soul, because I knew that she had to be on the run, and I
didnt want to make her earthly in any sense of the word.
It took a while, however, for Edgley to register just
how popular Farscape had become. I was a bit slow
with the internet, the actress admits. But then I
checked out the web love, and the support of the fans.
At conventions, I was blown away. Farscape got cut
short, and the fans were so devastated that they really
wanted it to come back. I did signings after it, and the
fans were telling me that they were going to bring it
back. And I was like, Guys, I love and support you,
but I dont know if its possible. The fans, however,

were right, with the 2004 mini-series, Farscape:

The Peacekeeper Wars, put into production to tie up
the loose ends left hanging after the shows abrupt
cancellation. The fans were definitely a little irate when
the show was canned, but god bless them, we got a
mini-series out of it, laughs Ben Browder.
The fans are still well and truly out there, and
talk has once again started to rumble that Farscape
might be launched again at some stage. Im sure
that somewhere down the line, there will be another
iteration of the show, says Ben Browder. I hope that
the success of Guardians Of The Galaxy somehow
trickles down so that there can be another iteration of
Farscape. Im not intimately involved with that, only
through conversations that Ive had with [series creator]
Rockne S. OBannon and [writer] Justin Monjo, whos
penning the script in Australia, or with Brian Henson.
Im not deeply involved in that at this particular juncture.
They happen when they happen for all kinds of reasons,
and it takes a lot of money to make a show like Farscape
happen. Would he be willing to step back into John
Crichtons boots? Yeah, absolutely, Browder replies.
They should be some pretty well worn boots at this
point! Ill be interested to see where he is. I would hope
that hes got five kids hanging off him at this point. Id
have him back in the outback driving Mad Maxs car with
five kids in the back seat not buckled in!
When FilmInk wraps up by asking the actor for his
final thoughts on the show that brought him an army of
fans, Ben Browders affection for the series is obvious.
Farscape was an epic playground, he says. With
The Henson Company, and all of the animatronics and
prosthetics and all the creative energy that they threw at
it, and all of the writers running with all of that, Farscape
was truly one of those rare events, and I was lucky to be
a part of it.
Farscape: The Complete Season One
is available now on Blu-ray. Farscape: The
Complete Season Two is available
on Blu-ray from October 8. n

The Beyond

House By The Cemetery

OPEN THE GATES

OF HELL!: AN APPRECIATION OF
LUCIO FULCIS GATES OF HELL TRILOGY
Lucio Fulci

Italian horror maestro, LUCIO FULCIs surreal, dark fever dreams live on with
the Blu-ray release of three of his gory, splatter-heavy best: GATES OF HELL, THE
BEYOND, and HOUSE BY THE CEMETERY. BY ANTHONY OCONNOR

peak to an Italian horror fan for any length of time,

and Lucio Fulci invariably comes up. Although he
died in 1996, his influence is still felt in any number
of modern filmmakers, such as Eli Roth and Quentin
Tarantino the latter of whom frequently cites Fulci as
an inspiration, and even re-released the directors The
Beyond for American audiences through his Rolling Thunder
distribution label.
Fulci directed a startling number of films from 1953 to
1991, straddling diverse genres such as westerns, giallo,
comedy, and sword-and-sandal epics. But its Fulcis
horror movies that cause his name to live on in cultural
infamy. Known for a combination of vicious, explicit gore,
nightmare logic, vivid direction, and absolute baffling
lunacy, Fulcis films are frequently unforgettable. Want an
example? How about a scene where an underwater zombie
attacks a shark? This happens in one of the most notorious
scenes from 1979s Zombie aka Zombie 2, which was
boldly released in Italy as a sequel to George A. Romeros
1978 classic, Dawn Of The Dead! Legally dicey Italian
distribution models aside, Fulcis Zombie remains one of the
more original films of the undead, featuring genuinely eerie,
clay-faced zombies, and an emphasis on ocular trauma that
remains disturbing to this day.
But it is Fulcis loosely linked Gates Of Hell trilogy that
typifies his oeuvre. Though these films arent an official,
narratively connected trilogy, theyre linked in a stylistic
fashion. All feature a nihilistic tone, the influence of great
evil, and a weird obsession with maggots, eyeballs, and
goreso much gore. Ultimately, Fulcis legacy lives on,
with his movies constantly being re-released for fans of
extreme cinema and Italian splatter alike. A unique voice in
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a genre that is so often rebooted and bland, Fulci is wellregarded for good reason.
CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD
(AKA: GATES OF HELL) (1980)
The first of the trilogy is also possibly the most disturbing.
Heavily influenced by the writings of H.P. Lovecraft (by
way of Herschell Gordon Lewis!), Gates Of Hell tells of a
priest who causes the gates of hell to open when he hangs
himself in a cemetery. This results in a plague of zombies
who arent the usual moaning, shambling type. Oh no, Fulci
had already experimented with staggering, slow-moving
zombies his living dead are super strong, can teleport
(seemingly at will), and have a murderous influence on the
films townsfolk. In one scene, a woman literally vomits
her intestines up after staring into the cold, evil eyes of
the undead priest. In another, an irate father uses a drill to
perforate the skull of a well-meaning, mentally challenged
young man. Plus, there are maggotsrains of maggots.
THE BEYOND (1981)
The Beyond is easily the most coherent of Fulcis Gates Of
Hell trilogy, which isnt to say that its not nuts it totally
is but it features a story that basically makes sense
and uses a linear narrative to anchor its more batshit
crazy concepts. The movie begins in 1927 New Orleans
with a young artist, Schweick, being murdered by an
angry mob in The Seven Doors Hotel. The mob believe
that he is a warlock, and kill him in a lingering, disfiguring
fashion. Decades later, Liza, a young woman from New
York, inherits the hotel (under mysterious circumstances,
naturally) and decides to reopen it. Suffice to say that

Gates Of Hell

this plan proves unwise, and the movie lurches from one
splattery set piece to the next. And what set pieces they
are: a man is attacked and killed by spiders; a tradie has
his eyes gouged out by another of Fulcis iconic clay-faced
zombies; a blind womans throat is torn open by her guide
dog; and, of course, the shot that launched a thousand
eighties horror zines: a (possessed) little girls face is blown
off in a splattery sequence that remains stunningly effective
to this day. Thats not to mention the ending, which is the
darkest, most nihilistic point in a trilogy thats already jet
black. The Beyond transcends its trashy roots, and stands
as a legitimately effective horror yarn.
HOUSE BY THE CEMETERY (1981)
Arguably the least successful of the Gates Of Hell trilogy,
House By The Cemetery is also the weirdest, which is
saying something. Much more traditional in its set up,
the film features a young family moving from New York to
a spacious home in New England. Of course, they dont
know that their new house once belonged to the insane Dr.
Freudstein (yes, thats the actual name of the character),
who performed deranged and bloody experiments on
humans to transcend this mortal coil. After a somewhat
slow build, House By The Cemetery becomes typically
Fulci-esque in its third act, with bat attacks, brains being
crushed from skulls, and yet another baffling ending that
seems less depressing but more dreamlike than the
previous parts of the trilogy.
Lucio Fulcis Gates Of Hell Trilogy
is available on Blu-ray from October 1. n

OUT OF THE DARK

Director, JOHN HUDDLES, corralled a crew of exciting young Australian talent for his apocalyptic think piece,
AFTER THE DARK. BY ANDREW MCMURTRY

never thought of it as an apocalypse film, writer/

director, John Huddles, recounts. I thought of it as
a psychological thriller. The physical dangers arent
real in the context of the story, but theyre real in the
characters imaginations, which is what mattered.
With After The Dark, Huddles offers an original take
on the apocalyptic film trope. In a genre that relies on the
physical danger of a catastrophic event, After The Dark
instead frames an atomic apocalypse within a thought
experiment in a philosophy class in an international school
in Jakarta. The dare or lets say the ambition was
to make a genre film that was equal parts brain and
brawn, Huddles explains. In philosophy or ethics, thought
experiments are used to jump past the constraints of
the physical world, and to explore the possibilities of the
imagination while still sticking to the laws of physics. It

seemed an ideal vehicle to take us where we needed to go

in our story.
Featuring Australian actors, Sophie Lowe (Beautiful
Kate) and Rhys Wakefield (Sanctum, The Purge), in the
lead roles, the film features a strong cast of young actors
playing the films students, including Bonnie Wright (Harry
Potter), Jacob Artist (Glee), and Daryl Sabara (Spy Kids),
along with James DArcy (Cloud Atlas) as the teacher
administering the experiment. Despite featuring such a
strong cast of youthful actors, Huddles didnt have anyone
specifically in mind when writing the screenplay. We were
lucky enough to have lots of choices, and we tried to create
a matrix of faces and backgrounds to bring the story to life
in a credible and intriguing way, he says. Theres so much
great young acting talent out there, but the films for their
age group often dont ask much of them, so the audience

never gets to see how good they really are.

But it was the Australian pair that stood out. Choosing
Rhys and Sophie was just a matter of making talent
the priority, Huddles offers. The fact that theyre both
Australian was pure coincidence. I was looking for actors
who could embody real teenagers. That meant crafting
performances that were sometimes ambiguous or even
contradictory, and occasionally more withholding than
giving. Not every young actor is capable of offering up
personal paradox. Rhys and Sophie, though they work in
very different ways, are both seriously gifted.
Huddles says that Indonesia was chosen as the
background to the story due to the visual opportunities
that it offers, and he has a number of other locales on his
cinematic bucket list. Im working on projects set in India,
Portugal, Luxembourg, the UK, Brazil, Spain, and Australia,
Huddles reveals. Im slightly obsessed by Australia, not
only as a destination, but because it produced actors like
Rhys and Sophie, as well as the other amazing Australians
in our film: Maia Mitchell, Melissa Le-Vu, Phillippa Coulthard,
Chanelle Bianca Ho, and our spectacular cinematographer,
John Radel, and brilliant production designer, David Ingram.
The casting process introduced me to even more Australian
talent like this young actor, Luca James Lee, whos in Los
Angeles now killing it in every audition, to the point that
I keep hearing about him from casting directors. I always
tell them: I found him first! How Australia grows all these
movie-stars-in-the-making, I dont know.
After The Dark is available on
DVD and Blu-ray now. n

DIGITAL EXC
LUSIVE

HEAVENS GATE

Actors GREG KINNEAR and KELLY REILLY, producer JOE ROTH and director RANDALL WALLACE congregate for the religion themed HEAVEN IS FOR REAL. BY GILL PRINGLE

oud imagine that a movie about a boy who believed

hed gone to heaven while undergoing surgery,
would be destined for the DVD pile or, at best, a
Christian TV channel.
So perhaps the greatest miracle of all is that the story
of this real-life boys encounter would become a worldwide publishing phenomenon, selling more than 10 million
copies, translated into 35 languages and receiving the
attention of a slew of Hollywood heavyweights.
Colton Burpo, the son of a pastor raised in rural Nebraska
was four years old when he was rushed to hospital for
surgery, the emergency room doctors unsure whether or not
he would pull through. However, after recovering, he began
to tell his parents about how he had gone to heaven while
under anesthesia, and been shown a realm of indescribably
beauty and supreme peace, even meeting deceased
relatives whom he had never known personally.
Although bewildered, his parents Todd and Sonja grew
to be convinced that their son had indeed, experienced all
these things, in 2010 publishing a book about their sons
account, sales fueled entirely by word-of-mouth. From
here it piqued the curiosity of veteran Hollywood producer
Joe Roth, who most recently produced Maleficent.
When I read the book, it seemed like such a terrific idea
for a movie. It poses a question everybody asks: what
happens when you die? It doesnt matter what religion
or background you come from, or whether you lived
2000 years ago or in 2014, its a question that intrigues
everyone.
Enlisting writer-director Randall Wallace to helm
the film, the project rapidly gathered an impressive
cast including Greg Kinnear, Thomas Haden Church and
Kelly Reilly. There are going to be people who will be
immediately sceptical, agrees Wallace. I certainly have
been sceptical of different elements of the story what the
characters said happened, what they believed happened,
what they reported experiencing I questioned everything.

DIGITAL E

But one of the features of any great story is that it has

mystery and suspense. Its that questioning that keeps us
moving forward in this story, and in life, says the Oscarnominated Braveheart writer who directed Secretariat, The
Man In The Iron Mask and We Were Soldiers.
The truth is when I went in and met with Joe and
Randall, I wasnt familiar with the book at all, says
Kinnear who plays pastor Todd Burpo, but when they told
me this story. I instantly thought, Well, whether or not its
based on a book, that sounds like an interesting cinematic
journey, given everything that he goes through with his
son and the family.
More than anything it was just a really well-crafted
screenplay that doesnt get overly bogged down with the
question of, is heaven real? Is it not real? Whats it look like?
Certainly thats a theme and its touched on but, moreover,
I think the movie just tries to give you a front row seat
into feeling truthfully the way this family must have felt, in

found among the congregation. I didnt actually go to any

of his sermons but I will say, having done some sermons
in this movie, I have a newfound respect for that vocation.
Youre very vulnerable facing three or four hundred people
who are staring at you, kind of looking for an answer to
some internal question. Thats a powerful job. You have to
have a strong conviction which Todd very much has.
Spending time with the real Sonja Burpo, Reilly says,
Shes very no fuss, practical, present and very real. I was
intrigued by how such an extraordinary thing could happen
to a very regular family, and then affect them so deeply and
change lives on so many levels, says the British actress
known for her role as Mary Morstan in both Sherlock
Holmes movies.
Reluctant to speak to his own religious convictions,
Kinnear ventures, I think faith is an important thing. I also
think it comes in all shapes and sizes and people have

I THINK FAITH IS AN IMPORTANT THING. I ALSO THINK

IT COMES IN ALL SHAPES AND SIZES AND PEOPLE HAVE
DIFFERENT FAITHS IN DIFFERENT THINGS.
particular in my case Todd, and how his sons experience
affected him and certainly affected his place in the church,
in the community, amongst his friends. I really believed the
story I was being told. Its not like his son comes and says,
Hey, I saw the other side and everything youve been saying
is consistent with what Ive seen, and Todd gives him a high
five and says, You bet it is. If anything, its his son giving
him that confirmation that really rattles him, that really
starts him into questioning his own place and his own faith.
And that felt honest to me and truthful.
While the real Pastor Burpo continues to preach at his
local church in Imperial, Nebraska, Kinnear was not to be

different faiths in different things.

He understands a parents desire to offer children
comfort in difficult situations such as a death in the family
and how the concept of heaven might be soothing.
Our dog died a couple years ago and we buried him.
My children had questions. I think they asked us if he was
going to go to heaven so yes, I wanted to comfort them as
best I could. Thats your job certainly as a parent.
Heaven Is For Real is released on DVD and
UltraViolet from September 25. n

FILM RATINGS
DISC RATINGS

CRACKER

TOP STUFF

PRETTY GOOD

NOT BAD

A BIT SHIT

BOMB

PACKED

IMPRESSIVE

SOLID

DISAPPOINTING

VERY ORDINARY

NO FEATURES

THE WALKING DEAD: THE COMPLETE FOURTH SEASON

Year
Rating
Directors
Cast

2013-2014
MA
Various
Andrew Lincoln, Norman Reedus,
David Morrissey, Steven Yeun, Scott
Wilson, Lauren Cohan, Chandler Riggs
Distributor eOne
Available Now
Also on Blu-ray

TOP PICK!

THE FILM HHHHH

THE DISC

By the time that the last episode of

The Walking Deads third season
had wrung out its final cries of pain
and terror, the post-apocalyptic series
based upon the cult comic series by
Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore, and Charlie
Adlard had been installed as one of the
most watched shows in the history of
US cable television, and was unofficially
placed in the files alongside Game Of
Thrones and Breaking Bad as irrefutable
evidence of the fact that television has
been in an ascendant incline over the last
ten years. Viewers are consuming their TV
in big, binge-like chunks courtesy of DVD
and on-demand services, leading to the
creation of shows that hypnotise and edify
in equal measure, with The Walking Dead
at the top of the lauded tree.
Defined as much by rivers of tears as
it is by pools of blood, The Walking Dead
follows the horrific trials and tribulations
of Rick Grimes (superb UK import, Andrew Lincoln, hitherto
best known for Love Actually), a sheriffs deputy who
wakes from a coma kick-started by a shot taken during a
violent fire-fight to discover that the entire world around
him has been engulfed in a zombie apocalypse. Society has
completely collapsed: half-chewed corpses line the garbagestrewn streets; relentless, slow-shambling, undead, flesheating walkers wander in herds looking for fresh meat;
and huddling groups of human survivors struggle to stay
alive. A cure or any form of safe haven, meanwhile, look
increasingly like nothing more than desperate dreams. Its
very much a show about the characters, and having a postzombie apocalypse with death at the door simply enhances
the stakes, The Walking Deads executive producer, Gale
Anne Hurd, told FilmInk last year.
Over the series first three seasons, Rick Grimes leads a
group of ever changing (read: ever getting killed) survivors
toward shifting hopes of safety and the possibility of
some kind of life. His methods, however harsh, have
kept everyone alive, one of the shows producers, Glen
Mazzara, told FilmInk. Rick is a good leader and a good
man, but hes faced devastating losses.
As the fourth season begins, Rick and his loved, trusted
family of fellow survivors his teenage son, Carl (Chandler
Riggs); backwoods bad boy, Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus);
katana-wielding heroine, Michonne (Danai Gurira); nice
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guy, Glenn (Steven Yeun); his girlfriend, Maggie (Lauren

Cohan); her sister, Beth (Emily Kinney); their regal, morally
sound father, Herschel (Scott Wilson); the complex Carol
(Melissa McBride); and brother and sister, Tyreese (Chad L.
Coleman) and Sasha (Sonequa Martin Green) have made
a home of a grey, foreboding prison, using its fields to plant
seeds and its cell blocks to engineer some semblance of
a normal existence. But almost immediately, everything
starts to flare and burn as a virus rips through the facility,
toppling a number of newly introduced characters in one
fell swoop. Rick and his crew grapple with the contagion
for the first half of the season, which then leads to the
reappearance of The Governor (David Morrissey) the
hateful yet wonderfully nuanced villain who drove the
shows third season to such dizzy heights lighting the
fuse for one of the most exciting, shocking, and ultimately
heartbreaking episodes in the shows history.
With the third season of The Walking Dead rating as
such a singularly engrossing achievement, the producers
were up against it when it came to following it up, but with
the fourth season, they shifted gears, peeled it back, and
crafted a rolling wave of episodes that ebbed and flowed,
with some quiet and meditative, and others ripped through
with moments of thunderous violence and horror. Though
there were complaints about the seasons often slow

second half, the later episodes are filled with essential

moments of character-building drama (the fourteenth entry,
The Grove, is glacially paced, but its denouement is a
profoundly affecting watershed moment for the show),
that stitch together to make the seasons final, cliffhangerending episode all the more bracing.
As with all previous seasons, the performances
are uniformly top-notch; the gritty visuals are rich and
imaginative; the emotional stakes are constantly ramped
up to almost unbearable levels; and the gore effects of the
great Greg Nicotero never fail to shock and occasionally
amuse. It might get constantly snubbed at all the major
awards ceremonies (which, in a way, makes it even more
satisfying), but The Walking Dead is a truly towering piece
of American television, and a small screen masterpiece
of the first order. It might ostensibly belong to the horror
genre, but this richly textured drama feels more like a piece
of quality American literature than it does a blood-soaked
scare-festthough theres plenty of that too!
Per previous releases, The Walking Dead: The Complete
Fourth Season comes loaded with audio commentaries
(from cast and crew); deleted scenes; and a variety of
themed featurettes, which look at the creation of the show,
as well as the different thematic undercurrents that snake
their way through this majestic season. Erin Free

COMEDY

STRAIGHT TO THE SHELF

PRICE CHECK

Reel. On shelves now.

Mild mannered family man, Pete (Eric Mabius),
has grown despondent working in the
colourless head office of an unsuccessful chain
of supermarkets. Burdened with mounting
debts, Petes future seems depressingly laid
out until he meets his new boss, Susan
(Parker Posey). Abrasive and ruthlessly
ambitious, Susan is also enthusiastic to inspire
her team to reach dazzling performance
targets. Immediately recognising Petes
wasted potential, Susan grooms the stunned
employee to be her right hand man. As far as
observational workplace humour goes, Price
Check treads tired ground. In fact, its only
due to the comedic tour de force of Parker
Posey that it remains even remotely amusing.
Harmless light entertainment the film may be,
but Price Check still feels like an unsatisfying
investment. Catherine Brown

THE ZOMBIE KING

BREAKAWAY
2011
PG
Robert Lieberman
Vinjay Vimani, Rob
Lowe, Camilla Belle,
Russell Peters
Distributor Pinnacle
Available Now
Year
Rating
Director
Cast

THE FILM HHH

THE DISC

The charming underdog sports comedy, Breakaway,

is the playful tale of Rajveer Singh (Vinjay Vimani),
a twentysomething in Torontos Sheikh Community
whos caught in a struggle between his familys faith
and his love of ice hockey. Shunned by a local hockey
team due to its racist coach, Rajveer and his friends set
up their own squad with Rob Lowe (yes, that Rob Lowe
hello, Youngblood!) standing in for coaching purposes. But

MR. PEABODY & SHERMAN

2014
PG
Rob Minkoff
Ty Burrell,
Max Charles,
Ariel Winter
Distributor Fox
Available Now
Also on Blu-ray
Year
Rating
Director
Cast

Vendetta. On shelves now.

There are two narratives at work in this low
budget Brit Zom-Com. Story A follows a
postman, a milkman, and a traffic warden
fighting for their lives in a Northern English
village overrun by the undead. Story B stays
by the bedside of a husband (Edward Furlong)
as he nurses his dying wife and drives around
the same village on his motorcycle. The two
plots couldnt be any more different in terms
of tone, suggesting that two half-finished
screenplays were thrown at a wall to see what
sticks. Its a Cajun accented Corey Feldman
as a voodoo god that (barely) dovetails the
two storylines together. The action, for what
it is, focuses mainly on the rather dull and
unfunny northerners as they bicker, swear, and
talk about each others mums like theyre in a
playground. John Noonan

Originally appearing as part of the Rocky &

Bullwinkle cartoon, Mr. Peabody (Ty Burrell) is the
worlds smartest dog, a bespectacled beagle with a
posh accent. He lives in the penthouse of a skyscraper,
and parents his adopted son, Sherman. When Sherman
goes off to his first day of school, he is soon the target of
prissy girl, Penny Peterson. A headmasters office meeting
later, and Mr. Peabody is inviting Pennys parents over for

A HAUNTED HOUSE 2

THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL

Transmission. On shelves now.

Despite the challenge of finding one person to
admit that they liked Marlon Wayans found
footage parody, A Haunted House, it made
enough of its money back to fast-track a
sequel. And here it is. A Haunted House 2: a
cinematic retirement home where jokes and
artistic integrity go to die. Following on from the
plot of the first, Malcolm (Marlon Wayans)
has started a relationship with a single mother
of two played by a frustratingly wasted Jaime
Pressly. Their idyllic lifestyle is scuttled when
Malcolm finds a series of snuff films in his attic,
and his step-daughter becomes possessed.
Perhaps A Haunted House 2 can best be
surmised by the scene where Wayans has sex
with the doll from The Conjuring. Nobody asked
to see it. Nobody wants to see it.
John Noonan

K!
TOP PIC

THE FILM HHHH

THE DISC

2014
M
Wes Anderson
K!
Ralph Fiennes,
TOP PIC
Adrien Brody, Edward
Norton, Tilda Swinton
Distributor Fox
Available Now
Also on Blu-ray
Year
Rating
Director
Cast

THE FILM HHHHH

THE DISC

Eight films in, and Wes Anderson has earned his

status as one of Americas most distinguished modern
auteurs, creating drolly beguiling worlds that operate
on their own terms. His latest engaging tale pivots
around Gustave H (Ralph Fiennes), a legendary concierge
at a famous European hotel in the thirties. When one of
Gustaves elder lovers mysteriously dies, hes left a priceless
painting, which hes forced to protect. Gustave is aided by

Rajveers journey is as much

about becoming more attuned
to his faith as it is about making
it to the finals, and Breakaway
manages to tie everything
together without beating the
viewer over the head with a
religious (hockey) stick.
Breakaway is a far from
perfect film. Some of the
performances are a bit loose
and easy when it comes to
authenticity, with stand-up comedian, Russell Peters, being
a particular low point. Playing the antagonist, he consistently
brings down every scene that hes in. That said, Breakaway
is such a warm and friendly film that its easy enough to
ignore its faults and get swept up in its unabashed feel-good
flavour. John Noonan

dinner to resolve the problem.

But when Penny and Sherman
enter Mr. Peabodys WABAC
time travel machine, mayhem
ensues.
Mr. Peabody & Sherman
has something for everyone;
its action-packed to keep the
under-nines happy, and its
educational in a broad sense
with appearances from Marie
Antoinette, Mona Lisa, various
American Presidents, Leonardo Da Vinci, and Albert Einstein
so it will keep the tweens alert, whilst their parents
will get a kick out of the kitsch source material, and the
flawlessly rendered 3-D animation. Director, Rob Minkoffs
animation pedigree is bar none (Stuart Little, The Lion
King), and Mr. Peabody & Sherman is filled with loveable
characters, an aspirational celebration of diversity and
intelligence, and is fun from start to finish. Dov Kornits

Zero Moustafa (Tony Revolori),

the hotels lobby boy, who
becomes the concierges most
trusted ally.
Often unfairly accused of
crafting works that trump style
over substance, Andersons
painstaking attention to detail
here beautifully serves the
story. Its a tale whose central
character brilliantly realised by
Fiennes is forced to confront
a dark, new world order. And as charming as the storytelling
is, the filmmakers all too aware of the looming war soon to
pull the rug from under his lovingly crafted world. The best
part of the film is the friendship that blossoms between
Gustave and Zero, a refugee, who becomes the real hero of
the piece. Its their touching relationship which once again
proves that Andersons films come with genuine soul.
Cara Nash
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DRAMA

52 TUESDAYS
2013
MA
Sophie Hyde
Tilda CobhamHervey, Del
Herbert-Jane,
Mario Spate
Distributor Vendetta
Available From September 24
Year
Rating
Director
Cast

THE FILM HHHH

THE DISC

A multifaceted coming of age drama that possesses

a disarmingly novel structure, 52 Tuesdays is boldly
thought provoking. The life of sixteen-year-old, Billie (Tilda
Cobham-Harvey), is irrevocably altered when her mother
(Del Herbert-Jane) announces her intentions to undergo
a sex change and become James. In order to make the
transition easier, Billie moves in with her father, and agrees
to restrict her time with James to every Tuesday afternoon

CHEF
2014
M
Jon Favreau
Jon Favreau, Robert
Downey Jr., Sofa
Vergara, Scarlett
Johansson
Distributor Universal Sony
Available Now
Also on Blu-ray
Year
Rating
Director
Cast

THE FILM HHHH

THE DISC

In a role he wrote for himself, Jon Favreau stars as

Carl Casper, a skilled chef bored by his job in a highend restaurant. When he learns that New Yorks leading
food critic (Oliver Platt) is visiting, Casper is determined to
serve up a new menu, but his horrible boss (Dustin Hoffman)
insists that he roll out the classics. The meal earns a stinging
review, which after Casper is introduced to Twitter by
his son (Emjay Anthong) starts a war that loses him his

THE SELFISH GIANT

STRAIGHT TO THE SHELF

for the duration of the process.
As James battles to become
his authentic self throughout
the physical and psychological
challenges inherent within his
transformation, Billie is inspired
to experiment with her own
sexual identity.
The film is comprised of
snippets of Billie and James
Tuesdays over the course of a
year. While this drop-in structure
ensures that the viewer is consistently engaged, it also
slightly diminishes the impact of important moments, as the
audience is not privy to a sustained emotional progression.
That said, 52 Tuesdays is an unequivocally powerful
examination of gender, identity, and sexuality. Its thoughtful
and layered examination of these complex themes makes for
highly gratifying cinema. Special features include a gag reel,
making-of, and deleted scenes. Catherine Brown

job. Encouraged by his ex-wife

(Sofia Vergara), Casper opens
a Cuban food truck, hoping to
return to his roots and reignite
his passion, while reconnecting
with his son.
Favreau is charming even
underneath his layers of
simmering bitterness and rage,
and his comedy drama feels
personal and passionate. Certain
passages even feel like Favreau
is cathartically venting his own feelings about the Hollywood
system. You make nothing! he rages at Oliver Platts
critic. You just shit on my shit! Its a hilarious breakdown,
and its in the first third of the film, before it lapses into
sentimentality, where Favreau both behind and in front of
the camera is at his best. Cara Nash
TOP PICK!

bleeds Ken Loach. And yet, it is

also beautifully crafted, and lifted
by its performances. Chapmans
portrayal, in particular, is
reminiscent of Thomas
Turgooses intense performance
in This Is England. British
cinema can be accused of being
too reliant on social realism,
THE FILM HHHHH
THE DISC
and constructing temples to
melodrama that are either
championing thugs in sheepskin
In this drama written and directed by Clio Barnard,
coats or crying mothers at the kitchen sink. The Selfish Giant
two youngsters (Conner Chapman and Shaun Thomas) isnt dramatically any lighter than the likes of Tyrannosaur or
are expelled from school and taken under the wing of Kes, but like those films, its much more than just the sum of
the local scrap dealer (Ralph Ineson), who sends them its parts. Whilst hope is in short supply, the fact that the film
out on jobs. From there, the boys search for ways to make
contains even just a spark is a testament to Barnard and her
something of their impoverished lives.
craft. John Noonan
The Selfish Giant is a brutal film, in both its narratives
honesty and its portrayal of poverty in the UK. Cut it, and it
2013
MA
Clio Barnard
Conner Chapman,
Shaun Thomas,
Ralph Ineson
Distributor Rialto
Available Now
Year
Rating
Director
Cast

90
90 FILMIN
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A SECOND CHANCE

Pinnacle. On shelves now.

A highly accessible childrens sports drama,
A Second Chance may not be perfectly
executed, but its inherent charm is bound to
please its youthful demographic. Still reeling
from a traumatic event from her past, former
gymnast, Kate (Nina Pearce), hesitantly
agrees to coach three aspiring young hopefuls
for competition. Recognising enormous natural
talent in timid twelve-year-old, Maddy (Emily
Morris), Kate becomes determined to help the
child reach her potential. Children, particularly
gymnasts, will find much to enjoy about
A Second Chances relatable themes and
uplifting narrative. While the film handles the
sporting component more competently than
the underlying emotional narrative, it would be
difficult to watch A Second Chance without
being touched by its good intentions and warm
spirit. Catherine Brown

BECOMING REDWOOD

Pinnacle. On shelves now.

If youre seeking cinema thats outside of the
box, this spirited little indie should prove a real
treat. While residing in Canada with his draft
dodger father, Ethan (Chad Willett), precocious
daydreamer, Redwood (an extraordinary
Ryan Grantham), constructs a fantasy world
in which he is in competition with golf great,
Jack Nicklaus, at the 1975 Masters. When
Ethan is arrested for dealing drugs, Redwood
is sent to live with his estranged mother, Jade
(Jennifer Copping), in California. Although
Jades hard-nosed husband, Arnold (Derek
Hamilton), makes the transition difficult for
the stubbornly eccentric child, Redwood finds
solace in an unlikely friendship with Arnolds
father, Earl (Scott Hylands), a traumatised
agoraphobic who appreciates the value of
dreams. In spite of a tendency to overplay its
quirkiness, Becoming Redwood is a refreshing
coming of age tale. Catherine Brown

PARTS PER BILLION

Reel. On shelves now.

A biological weapon has been unleashed in
The Middle East. The virus contained within
is carried on the wind, and soon people are
dropping like flies in Asia, Europe, and America.
Jumping back and forth in time, we follow three
couples before, during, and after the virus hits
US soil. The problem with films that stand on
the eve of an apocalypse is that the ending is
a foregone conclusion, so we must be able to
invest in the people whose lives the disaster is
going to affect. Unfortunately, despite a cast
that includes Josh Hartnett, Rosario Dawson,
and Frank Langella, Parts Per Billion never
achieves even that. The film is populated with
the kind of navel gazers that you wouldnt hang
out with even if the world werent coming to an
end. John Noonan

THRILLER

COME OUT AND PLAY

2012
MA
Makinov
Vinessa Shaw, Ebon
Moss-Bachrach,
Daniel Gimenez
Cacho
Distributor Pinnacle
Available Now
Year
Rating
Director
Cast

THE FILM HHH

THE DISC

This Mexican horror thriller sees an American

couple (Vinessa Shaw, Ebon Moss-Bachrach)
attending a festival on a remote island, only to
discover that the islands children have rioted and
killed all the adults. Despite the atrocities that they
witness, the couple is reluctant to attack the ankle-biters,
and strive to find a way off the island free of violence.
Its a simple story with an extremely dark heart. If

GRAND PIANO
2013
MA
Eugenio Mira
Elijah Wood, John
Cusack, Tamsin
Egerton, Kerry Bishe
Distributor Pinnacle
Available From October 1
Also on Blu-ray
Year
Rating
Director
Cast

THE FILM HHH

THE DISC

Despite the entire premise leaning toward the outright

absurd, theres a curious appeal in Eugenio Miras Grand
Piano. The film takes place almost entirely within the confines
of a stylish concert hall, over the course of a classical music
concert. Virtuoso pianist, Tom Selznick (Elijah Wood), is
returning to the stage after a five-year hiatus following a
public meltdown that occurred during a performance of
La Cinquette, a piece by the fictional composer, Patrick

REASONABLE DOUBT
2014
MA
Paul Morrissey
Samuel L. Jackson,
Dominic Cooper,
Gloria Reuben,
Ryan Robbins
Distributor Pinnacle
Available From September 24
Also on Blu-ray
Year
Rating
Director
Cast

THE FILM HHH

THE DISC

In the Canadian thriller, Reasonable Doubt, Samuel

L. Jackson plays Clinton, a man facing a hit and run
charge. Mitch Brockden (Dominic Cooper) is on duty as his
defence lawyer. He also just happens to be the man who
actually committed the crime. In any other film, this narrative
would be enough to run with; a fluffy melodrama perhaps, as
Mitch lies to family and friends, struggling with the guilt of
what hes done. But this isnt that kind of film, and the trial is

it sounds exploitative, then

thats because it kind of is.
Intentionally hurting children
is still a cinematic taboo
that panders to the parental
instinct in us all. The singularly
monikered debut director,
Makinov, gleefully plays with
the idea of how far one has to
be pushed, applying continuous
pressure on the couple in
order to break their reserve.
But its never schlock for the sake of schlock, and it is to
the directors credit that a large portion of the violence is
staged off screen. While the films impressive ratcheting
up of tension is let down by a few gaping plot holes, Come
Out And Play manages to stay on the enjoyable side of
mean spirited. John Noonan

Godureaux, deemed nigh

unplayable. Mid-performance,
Selznick notices that his sheet
music is littered with notes
threatening him to play the music
to perfection or risk death.
Victor Reyes score is
quite possibly one of the
most astonishing technical
accomplishments in the history
of film music. What is remarkable
about Miras film is how the
piece that Selznick is performing a three-movement
concerto written exclusively for the film by Reyes
simultaneously emulates a genuine classical piece whilst also
functioning to accentuate the onscreen action. As the strain
being put on Selznicks emotional state peaks, the music
crescendos fittingly. Grand Piano is an entertaining film,
directed with evident enthusiasm by Mira, and a marvellous
achievement of cinematic music. John Roebuck

brushed offstage quickly to allow

Cooper to realise that Jackson
isnt everything that he appears
to be. From this point on, were
in psycho thriller territory as
Cooper goes on the run with
Jacksons cold stare following.
Between Nick Fury and
numerous other roles about men
on the verge of apoplectic rage,
Jackson can play this kind of role
in his sleep. Cooper, meanwhile,
is given the thankless task of pouring sympathy into his
lawyer despite the atrocious act that he has committed,
which he just about achieves. Reasonable Doubt is a slight
film, but it follows its three-act structure with due diligence.
John Noonan
TOP PICK!

DCP, Blu-ray, DVD, iTunes mastering

& authoring by fats.com.au

CROSSWORD

COMPILED BY MICHAEL CHURCH

CROSSWORD GIVEAWAY

WIN!

AN AFTER THE
DARK PACK!!!

FilmInk is giving away an After The Dark

Pack (including a Blu-ray; a poster signed
by star, Sophie Lowe; and an outdoor
survival kit) courtesy of Eagle Home
Entertainment. For a chance to win, all
you have to do is unravel our crossword
clue (what the shaded squares spell
from left to right), and send your answer
to FilmInk Crossword Giveaway, PO Box
2043, Clovelly, NSW, 2031, or email
us at competitions@filmink.com.au,
by October 15, 2014. After The Dark is
available on DVD and Blu-ray now.

ACROSS

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1. France/Belgium animation
about an abandoned cat,
________Of Magic (3, 5)
5. Steve Carell voices Gru in
___________Me (10)
9. This Derek was a 10 (2)
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about estranged siblings,
The _________ (8, 5)
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one! (3)
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with Josh McConville (3,
8, 3)
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1)
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28. James ____ Jones (4)
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______ (5)
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Park (3, 5)
32. Utter (3)

34. Uma Thurman starred in

Be _____ (4)
36. New crime thriller starring
5 down, The_____ (9)
37. Studios with props (4)
40. Back To The Futures ____
Thompson (3)
42. See 47 down (8)
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approach? (3, 2)
45. Having the resources (4)
48. Record label _____ Victor
(1, 1, 1)
49. George Clooneys ______
11, 12 and 13 (6)
52. Portray (3)
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Upon A Time (4)
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(4)
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with Eric Bana ________
From _______ (7, 2 ,4)
67. 49ac appeared in this TV
series (1, 1)
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69. The star of Any Questions
For Ben? (4, 6)
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_______ (8)

1. In the direction of (2)

2. Pluralising letter (3)
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(4)
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Monsters, The ____ (9)
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(9)
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countrymen
_________ (4, 2, 4, 4)
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____ Again (5)
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producer, _____
Sandler (4)
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and stars in this new
Aussie flick (3, 6, 5)
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_______ Swinton (5)
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DOWN

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________ (3, 6)
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Association (1, 1, 1)
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Knightley played
Russian aristocrat
_____________ (4)
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Three _____ Trilogy (7)
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society (6)
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Campbell (4)
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The End, Michael _____
(4)
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Rings trilogy, _____
Tyler (3)
68. Fashionable? (2)

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p 10 x Godzilla Blu-ray Double Plays + Merchandise packs, courtesy of Warner Bros.

Home Entertainment. Nature controls man, not the other way around, in Godzilla, available to download from
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GODZILLA TM & Toho Co., Ltd. 2014 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All rights reserved.

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p 10 x Draft Day DVDs, courtesy of Roadshow Entertainment

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Brick Mansions is on shelves September 24

p 10 x They Came Together DVDs, courtesy of Roadshow Entertainment

p 3 x Gates Of Hell Trilogy Blu-Rays, courtesy of VEG

The Gates Of Hell Trilogy combines three of Lucio Fulcis films City Of The Living
Dead, The Beyond and House By The Cemetery and is released on October 1.

p 5 x Farscape Season 1 Blu-rays, courtesy of Via Vision

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52 Tuesdays is on shelves September 24

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HECTOR AND THE SEARCH FOR HAPPINESS

(M)

IN CINEMAS OCTOBER 23

I seized upon the opportunity to tell a fable, which I love

to do, says director, Peter Chelsom. I can get back to that
weird imagination that Ive had since I was a kid, when
I could let my imagination be liberated. Based on the
bestselling novel by Franois Lelord, Hector And The Search
For Happiness is a rich, exhilarating, and hilarious tale
from the director of Hear My Song, Serendipity, and Shall
We Dance. Hector (Shaun Of The Dead and Star Trek star,
Simon Pegg) is a quirky yet irresistible London psychiatrist
who has become increasingly tired of his humdrum life.
He tells his girlfriend, Clara (Die Another Days Rosamund
Pike), that he feels like a fraud: he hasnt really tasted
life, and yet hes offering advice to patients who are just
not getting any happier. So Hector decides to break out
of his deluded, routine-driven life. Armed with buckets of
courage and a child-like sense of curiosity, he embarks
on a global quest in the hope of uncovering the elusive
secret formula for true happinessand so begins a larger
than life adventure with riotously funny results. Sweet,
life-affirming, and quietly uplifting, Hector And The Search
For Happiness (which also stars Toni Collette, Stellan
Skarsgrd, Jean Reno, and Christopher
Plummer) is set to be the feelgood film of the year.
JO

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THE WALKING DEAD:

THE COMPLETE FOURTH SEASON

Available on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD now

Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and the group are still reeling from the loss of
their home, family, and friends. With the destruction of their prison
encampment, the survivors are scattered and sent on divergent paths,
unsure of everyone elses fate. What was a challenging life behind fences
and walls becomes even more perilous and precious as theyre exposed to
new dangers, new enemies, and heartbreaking choices. Their faith will be
tested a faith that breaks some and redeems others.

HANNIBAL: SEASON 2

Available on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD from September 24

Hannibal continues its second season with FBI agent, Will Graham (Hugh
Dancy), locked in a mental asylum, accused of Hannibal Lecters (Mads
Mikkelsen) crimes. FBI boss, Jack Crawford (Laurence Fishburne), is
dealing with his own feelings about Will, and whether his protg is in
fact a cold-blooded killer. With Will locked up, Hannibal becomes Jacks
new consultant on cases. The deadly dance between these characters
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FROM DUSK TILL DAWN: SEASON ONE

Available on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD from September 24

Based on Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantinos big screen thrill-ride,
the series is centered on bank robber, Seth Gecko (D.J. Cotrona) and his
violent, unpredictable brother, Richie (Zane Holtz). After a bank heist leaves
several people dead, the brothers escape to Mexico, taking a former
pastor (Robert Patric) and his family hostage along the way. With the FBI,
Texas Rangers, and Don Johnsons Sheriff Earl McGraw hot on their trail,
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Final Cut
SIR BEN KINGSLEY won an Oscar for playing the title role in Gandhi, but hes equally celebrated for his
portrayals of evil, and now adds to his collection of baddies as social climber, Archibald Snatcher, in the stop
motion animated movie, THE BOXTROLLS. BY GILL PRINGLE
The Boxtrolls townsfolk are crazy about cheese. Their town is even called Cheesebridge. Are all
Brits obsessed with cheese? We do make good cheese, but were not as obsessed as the French.
Any favourite cheeses? I like a sheep cheese from the Pyrenees Mountains, which I buy at my local village.
I believe that you had a special technique for recording your voice role in The Boxtrolls? In order
to get my voice to come from a different part of me, I did most of my voice work reclining. They rigged me
up on a bed where I could be completely relaxed without a tense bone in my body. You can achieve your
best work if youre completely relaxed. You cant go on a film set and work if theres tension in your neck or
shoulders, so I try to have a very relaxed body and breathing. I cant recline in an actual movie, so I was keen
to experiment in this role.
Will you try it again? Oh yes, its a keeper. Id like to lie down for all my roles.
You began your career on British soap operas. Any plans to return to TV? I am! Im doing King Tut, a
six-part TV series about Tutankhamun, playing Ay, the grand vizier and advisor to the Pharaoh. It will
be out next year. Were filming in Morocco.
Are you an Egyptology buff? No, but interestingly enough, its my third visit to ancient
Egypt in the last twelve months, as an actor. First was Night At The Museum: Secret
Of The Tomb, where I play a pharaoh, which was really funny. Next was Ridley Scotts
wonderful film, Exodus: Gods And Kings, which is about the exodus of the Jewish
slaves from Egypt, and now this TV series. Maybe in my DNA, theres some Egyptian.

L
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Youve done several Bible projects over the years Yes, I actually starred in
Moses, a US TV Bible series. I tried to make his struggle as human as possible. There was
a strange advisor on the set, a priest from the Vatican, and he was quite shocked that
in the scenes where Moses had to speak to God, that I wasnt prostrate on the ground
with my hands together, speaking in a hushed voice. But I was arguing with him!
Thats very Jewish! Well, Moses, come on?! And this priest was telling me,
You must pray, and I thought, Get out of here. Im talking to my buddy! Im
having a row with the boss! In my work, Ive tried to demystify people and show
them as flesh and blood, like with Gandhi.
What drew you to Night At The Museum: Secret Of The Tomb? I was
asked! Its a brilliant cameo. I love playing this arrogant man. Hes not very
good at talking to people, and hes baffled that people would even talk to him
without kneeling.
Ricky Gervais is very arrogant in the Night At The Museum series
too. Do you share any scenes with him? No, but I did share scenes
with Robin Williams, who was a beautiful man to work with.
You have a special talent for playing bad guys I find the flaw, that
sore part within you that cant be eased or healed. I look for the cracks,
and feel enormous empathy for it. In Sexy Beast, I played a vicious man,
but when I realised that he was an abused child, everything fell into
place. He was like a mad dog because he was deeply hurt as a child. He
would mete out revenge on the rest of the world for the rest of his life
as unhealed, abused children do, Im afraid.
You have a lot of work that presumably your children werent able
to see growing up? My kids were young when Sexy Beast came out, and
they were quoting it at school. They were only thirteen or fourteen at the
time, so that was a bit awkward!
The Boxtrolls is released on September 18
and is reviewed on Page 77. n

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